The opinion of Papa John's among recent casual diners dropped precipitously after CEO John Schnatter's public comments about Obamacare, according to a new study from YouGov BrandIndex, which researches brand perception for marketing directors, brand managers and PR reps. The site conducts thousands of interviews a day, providing real-time info that shows trends and responses to different marketing techniques or in this case, public gaffes.
The national pizza chain's YouGov BrandIndex Buzz score — which the site uses as an indication of brand favorability — dropped to four at the end of November, down from 32 on election day.
Papa John's isn't the only one:
Applebee's score dropped more than 25 points after Zane Tankel — who owns 40 Applebee's in the New York area – appeared on the Fox Business Network and expressed reluctance to expand because of the health care overhaul.