Is a Papa John’s Mea Culpa Imminent?

The following comment was left on my original post about the Papa John’s “Crybaby” t-shirt incident. It came from a Papa John’s corporate e-mail address and may be an early indication of how the corporate office is reacting. It confirms what we’ve been hearing about these shirts being sponsored by “rogue” franchise owners in DC and not by Papa John’s main corporate office.

Sorry! // May 4, 2008 at 2:48 pm

I understand your anger about this t-shirt issue at the Washington Wizards/Cleveland Cavaliers game. We here at Papa Johns Pizza in OHIO do not endorse the actions taken at that game. The individuals involved were not in any way associated with the Papa John’s brand here in Ohio. We support the Cleveland Cavaliers and are GREAT fans of LeBron James.” The best news about this incident is that Cleveland won the game and knocked Washington out of the playoffs.

I also share your anger about this. It is the D.C Papa Johns Pizza Franchise who had a very poor marketing campaign. They did this without thinking about the repercussion here in Ohio! Even though we are all Papa Johns Pizza, each Franchise is separate from the other. Unfortunately, they can do for lack of a better word something as reckless as this to help their market in D.C. They did not get any approval from Ohio market or Corporate to do so. We obviously would have strenuously declined such a marketing campaign that would pick a side of any sport/politic or religious views. It’s not how we do business.
Please accept my apologies and know that this issue is being handled at the highest level at our corporate headcounters in Louisville Kentucky.