Advertising Age reported Papa Johns named Leo Chicago as its new White advertising agency.
So, a pizza chain still bearing the name of a founder no longer associated with the enterprise will be serviced by a White advertising agency that underwent a 2025 name update further separating the firm from its founder.
It’s a who’s who of who the fuck are you?
It also seems like a perfect spokesman opportunity for Pope Leo.
Papa Johns hires Leo Chicago as new creative agency
By Erika Wheless and Ewan Larkin
Papa Johns has hired Leo Chicago as its new creative agency as one of the nation’s largest pizza chains looks to bolster its marketing and overcome a sales slump.
The brand confirmed in early October it had initiated a creative agency review and had parted ways with The Martin Agency, which had held the account since late 2023. The former IPG shop is now part of Omnicom.
Joanne Davis Consulting supported the pitch. Dentsu’s Carat will continue to handle Papa Johns’ media buying.
The win adds another major food brand to Publicis Groupe-owned Leo’s roster. Leo New York won Subway in April and Coffee mate in September.
The change comes under Chief Marketing Officer Jenna Bromberg, who joined the chain in November 2024.
“Papa Johns is a challenger brand founded on quality, craft and pride in our product. A brand partner who can help us channel that spirit is essential,” Bromberg said in a statement. “The team at Leo Chicago brings a deep understanding of what makes Papa Johns distinct. Their insights-driven creative, cultural fluency and deep QSR expertise will help us power a modern marketing engine.”
The agency change comes as Papa Johns looks to become a bigger national player; it finished 2024 as the fourth-largest U.S. pizza chain by sales. But it has been stuck in a sales slump of late, with North American comparable sales down 3% in the third quarter ended Sept. 28. Comparable sales were up just 1% in the second quarter.
Domino’s has outperformed most of the pizza competition this year. Its U.S. same-store sales were up 5.2% in the third quarter.
Pizza Hut reported that its U.S. same-store sales were down 6% during the same period. Yum Brands is exploring “strategic options” for Pizza Hut, including a potential sale of the brand.
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