Papa John’s founder says he should return to its ads
NEW YORK — The founder of Papa John’s says the pizza chain does well with him as its public face, and that it was a mistake for the company to scrub him from its marketing materials after he acknowledged using a racial slur.
John Schnatter told The Associated Press he believes he can return to TV and radio ads once the public understands the context of his comments.
“My persona resonates with the consumer because it’s authentic, it’s genuine and it’s the truth,” Schnatter said in a phone interview late Wednesday.
Papa John’s International Inc. had said last month that Schnatter would no longer be in any of its marketing, after Forbes reported that he used a racial slur during a media training conference call in May.
Schnatter apologized for using the word but said it was taken out of context. He resigned as chairman but subsequently called the decision a “mistake.”
Since then, Schnatter has criticized Papa John’s handling of the matter, saying it acted hastily without investigating. He also criticized the company’s failure to clarify his comments last year blaming disappointing pizza sales on how NFL leaders were handling player protests during the national anthem. Those comments led to Schnatter stepping down as CEO last year.
Schnatter, who remains a board member and owns nearly 30 percent of Papa John’s stock, said the remarks were aimed at the league’s leadership, not its players.
Papa John’s has adopted a “poison pill” plan to prevent Schnatter from mounting a takeover.