Why Jimmy John's Super Bowl Commercial Was A Total Fail
The year 2020, couldn't knock Jimmy John's down. According to Bloomberg, over 110,000 restaurants permanently folded across the U.S. last year due to issues stemming from COVID-19, but Jimmy John's forged ahead securing a current revenue stream of $3 billion (via Zoom Info). The brand made its latest move when they launched a new ad during the Super Bowl, but after the response it received across the internet, Jimmy John's might have to do some damage control.
The ad pits a fictional mafia-style sandwich shop owner against Jimmy John's, emphasizing how Jimmy John's has the freshest ingredients (via Twitter). Users have had a very negative reaction to the advertisement, mostly due to the controversial personality of the founder of the sandwich chain, Jimmy John Liautaud. According to Business Insider, Liautaud has attracted scandal due to his history of his political donations, as well as the fact that he has hunted big game, including elephants. A large portion of the comments going after the commercial on twitter lashed out at the Liautaud and his history of large-game hunting.
Jimmy John's ad didn't seem to resonate with the average viewer
Twitter users have steadily chimed in, responding to the commercial very negatively while highlighting the former actions of Liautaud. One Twitter user posted, "You're a disgusting company. Absolutely not" while another user simply commented "vile owner, vile company." Several of the posts also featured pictures of the Jimmy John's owner standing next to or holding leopards or elephants he allegedly shot (via Twitter).
Only time can tell how the sandwich chain reacts to the negative input the public has shown regarding the Super Bowl ad placement. For now, you can keep your eyes peeled for more news regarding how Jimmy John's responds, and keep enjoying the slew of commercials that make Super Bowl an incredible prime time event!