Papa John's Turned to Omnicom's Zimmerman to Make New Ads Starring Founder John Schnatter

Group advised brand on responding to racism claims

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Earlier this year, after Papa John’s received a wave of negative press over chairman John Schnatter’s comments regarding NFL protests and pizza sales and the brand moved to strip his image from its ads, he looked for a different opinion from longtime colleague Jordan Zimmerman, founder and chairman of the Omnicom agency that bears his name.

According to sources with knowledge of the company’s thinking, Schnatter sought out Zimmerman on two fronts: providing advice on how to respond to accusations of racism on social media and convincing other members of the Papa John’s team to allow him to continue serving as the face of the brand.

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