Papa John's founder: 'I can be back in the ads'

John Schnatter, the founder of Papa John’s, said it was a mistake for the pizza chain to remove his image from the company’s logo, according to an interview with the Associated Press.

“My persona resonates with the consumer because it’s authentic, it’s genuine and it’s the truth,” he told the AP in a report published Thursday.

Papa John’s has removed Schnatter’s image from pizza boxes, advertisements and its website amid controversy over his use of the “N-word” on a conference call with a marketing firm. After news of the call surfaced in a Forbes report, Schnatter apologized and stepped down as Papa John’s chairman in July.

But Schnatter has said he regrets his decision to resign, accusing the company’s board of forcing him to give up his position based on “rumor and innuendo” and failing to conduct an investigation, he wrote in a letter to the board. Schnatter said the incident was taken out of context because he was referring to KFC founder Colonel Sanders’ alleged use of the offensive term.

“Once the public actually grasps what the board and what the management did to cause the problem and the truth gets out, of course I can be back in the ads,” he told the AP.

Papa John’s has struggled because it strayed from its roots and went too far in overhauling its marketing strategy, Schnatter said. He noted that Papa John’s stopped focusing on its iconic mantra, “better ingredients.”

This is not the first time Schnatter has been embroiled in a public relations crisis that has clouded his role as the face of pizza chain.

Schnatter said he wasn’t comfortable appearing in ads after making headlines for criticizing the NFL over its handling of national anthem protests on the field. Weeks after those comments last year, he stepped down as CEO. He revealed that he was set to return to Papa John’s radio and TV ads before his resignation as chairman.

The company was testing how consumers felt about him, and it found “virtually no negativity” toward him, Schnatter said in the AP interview. He added that his criticism was directed at NFL leadership, not its players.

Schnatter recently sued Papa John’s, seeking access to internal documents. The lawsuit also claimed that Papa John’s has treated him in an “unexplained and heavy-handed way” since details of the media training call became public.

Louisville, Kentucky-based Papa John’s adopted a “poison pill” measure to fend off a potential hostile takeover by Schnatter. The move prevents any shareholder from acquiring more than 15% of the company’s stock without receiving approval from the board of directors.

Schnatter, who continues to serve as a director on Papa John’s board, is the largest single shareholder of Papa John’s. He owns about 29% of the company’s stock.

Shares have lost more than 24% this year. Papa John’s will report quarterly earnings next week.