Papa John's has not decided if it "wants to buy an advertising slot" for Super Bowl LII despite it being the official pizza of the league, according to Grace Schneider of the Louisville COURIER-JOURNAL. If it does, it is "still unclear" whether Founder John Schnatter would be featured. Schnatter has been the "most recognizable face in the chain's ads for many sporting events and especially on Super Bowl Sunday." Papa John's CMO Brandon Rhoten said that Super Bowl advertising "might be a game-time decision for the company this go-around." Rhoten: "We currently do not have a Super Bowl spot booked or produced, but are exploring our options in and around the game. ... I didn’t buy my Super Bowl spot last year until the Monday before the game, so you never know." He was also "noncommittal on whether Schnatter will appear in ads around the Super Bowl or thereafter" (Louisville COURIER JOURNAL, 1/6).
MARKETING INTUITION: AD AGE's Jeanine Poggi notes software company Intuit "will air its first Super Bowl spot." The company's QuickBooks brand "previously hosted a small business contest that twice awarded up-and-coming companies a Super Bowl commercial," and Intuit's TurboTax has been a "regular Super Bowl advertiser" since '14. Now, Intuit itself "plans to run one 15-second spot for the parent company brand." Intuit worked with Phenomenon, L.A., and Passion Animation Studios on the creative. Intuit also said that TurboTax will return to the Super Bowl with its "fifth consecutive spot, a 60-second commercial." Creative duties "are being handled" by Wieden+Kennedy, N.Y. (ADAGE.com, 1/8).
SAFETY FIRST: In Minneapolis, Tim Harlow notes the Minnesota Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) is "getting in the Super Bowl ad game." The agency "drafted a team of comedians" from locally-based Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret who "break down the 'Sober Game Plan' in 15- and 30- second ad spots that began airing in greater Minnesota during last weekend’s NFL playoff games." They will be "seen in the metro area starting the day after the conference championship games on Jan. 21, a day fans hope to be celebrating a Vikings win." OTS also "bought time on TV stations over multiple weekends, rather than just Super Bowl weekend" (STARTRIBUNE.com, 1/7).
