Almost two full weeks ago on Nov. 1, executives from the Papa John’s pizza chain went on an earnings conference call and criticized NFL leadership for not stopping players’ protests during the national anthem, blamed those protests for their deteriorating sales, and said they had pulled much of their present NFL advertising in exchange for future ad spots.
Papa John’s was then subsequently and repeatedly dunked on by rival pizza chains, by frozen pizza chains, by reporters who pointed out that the NFL likely wasn’t the problem, and by the internet in general, and they then even had to disavow support from white supremacists. But the controversy had largely died down, until for some reason Tuesday, the chain’s official social media account decided to post a series of tweets discussing their earnings call comments and apologizing “to anyone that thought they were divisive”:
The statements made on our earnings call were describing the factors that impact our business and we sincerely apologize to anyone that thought they were divisive. That definitely was not our intention. (1/3)
— Papa Johns (@PapaJohns) November 15, 2017
We believe in the right to protest inequality and support the players’ movement to create a new platform for change. We also believe together, as Americans, we should honor our anthem. There is a way to do both. (2/3)
— Papa Johns (@PapaJohns) November 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/PapaJohns/status/930588925835522049
What’s worse, making that kind of a non-apology in the first place (it’s not even admitting they did anything wrong, but apologizing if people “thought they were divisive” for making obviously-divisive comments), or waiting two weeks to make it? Either way, it led to the chain again getting repeatedly dunked on:
I really didnt need to know your organization was a alt right racist hate mongering failure to not eat your pizza. It actually really sucks. No shit i would rather eat the carboard covered in cheese at Chuck E Cheese. Enjoy bankruptcy. Bye Felicia
— Pete Fittante (@petefittante) November 15, 2017
I believe that your pizza makes an excellent spackle when blended vigorously. https://t.co/R7GBNhg9HI
— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) November 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/heartthrob666/status/930598375879307264
https://twitter.com/andrecole/status/930597877340082177
— MolWARE (@Amizzle_B) November 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/mikemurphlas/status/930598648223813632
Somehow, it doesn’t seem like this is going to win many back. Worse apologies, worse timing, Papa John’s. They should have just stuck with Jerry Jones rapping:
[Papa John’s on Twitter]
