Papa John's Falling Sales Getting Help From Shaq's Marketing

Papa John's sales in '19 "shouldn't fall as much as anticipated" in the wake of former CEO John Schnatter's scandal, and the company is "pinning much of its recovery on the star power of Shaquille O’Neal, who is starting to pop up in marketing for the brand," according to Jessica Wohl of AD AGE. While O'Neal "isn’t in TV commercials yet, he posted about Papa John’s on social media last week." A quick video shared by O’Neal on Twitter and Instagram "took viewers inside a Papa John’s board meeting -- O’Neal joined the board earlier this year -- and showed an item being taste-tested that he says is called the Papadia." U.S. same-store sales fell 5.7% in Q2, after dropping 6.9% in Q1. Papa John’s now anticipates its same-store sales will fall 1-4% this year, after "previously calling for a decline" of 1-5%. Papa John's "began to work with Endeavor Global Marketing" last year (ADAGE.com, 8/6).