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"Papa" John Schnatter may be stepping aside as CEO of the pizza empire he founded in 1984

He will be still on the brand’s ad and packaging but for how long?

Ad new CEO Steve Ritchie takes over on January 1, 2018, the company remains steadfast on its focus area – its people and its pizzas.

Former CEO John Schnatter, however, will remain the cornerstone of the brand’s communication. At the moment, it is unthinkable that Papa John as the face of the company will disappear.

But is the CEO spokesman era ending? In the 1980s and the 1990s, it was a common enough phenomenon, the most famous among them being Lee Iacocca with Chrysler’s tagline of: “If you can find a better car, buy it.”

A CEO spokesman can be a liability as well. When a CEO is deposed, the ads can end rather abruptly and create a consumer PR headache that most corporations wouldn’t experience from boardroom politics.

What will happen to “Papa” John?

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