The corporate folks at Godfather’s Pizza won’t say yet if they’re selling more pizzas because of attention brought by former CEO Herman Cain’s run for president.
But those who work in advertising, corporate communications and politics say one thing is for sure: Cain has made the Nebraska-based pizza company much more famous by his unlikely rise to the top tier of GOP White House contenders.
“My gut feeling is, yes, Godfather’s is becoming better known around the country as a result of the candidacy,” said Chris Brown, a media relations expert at Quinn Gillespie & Associates in Washington, D.C.
“Nearly every bio of the candidate leads with his experience at Godfather’s,” he said. “Will the added publicity help to sell more pies? Too soon to tell — but there are vast swaths of the country who now know that Godfather’s exists.”
David Almacy, a former White House staffer during the Bush administration who now works for a public relations firm in Washington, struck a similar note.
“I think the key point is anytime that someone on the national stage has a company listed below their name in the middle of the political process on major national television which resonates online, radio, print and everywhere else, that can’t be a bad thing,” he said.
But it’s likely, he said, that “the political or D.C. set” make up the majority of those now associating Godfather’s Pizza with Cain. (RELATED: Haley Barbour: Cain would ‘sweep the South’)
“I’m not sure that this early in the process that mainstream America is paying as close of attention to the debates as the rest of us are,” he said.
And Republican consultant Patrick Hynes said, “I definitely think it helps the brand. It associates their product with a very hot ticket candidate in the news cycle.”
Hynes, who is from New Hampshire, also said Cain stands to benefit from the fact that there are 116 Godfather’s Pizza locations in Iowa. That’s far more than most early presidential primary and caucus states. There are only two in New Hampshire.
“It’s a big deal in Iowa,” Hynes said, “and it probably helps him that he is associated with a popular brand of pizza in such an important state.”
Brown, however, said there’s a risk because Cain is so closely associated with the pizza chain.
“Could a bad customer service experience with the chain tarnish the candidate’s image in the eyes of a potential voter?” he asked.
The company, he said, has to be careful not to give the appearance that they are supporting Cain.
“If you endorse a candidate, you immediately alienate at least 50 percent of your potential customer base,” Brown said. “No smart company would ever do that.”
Reached by The Daily Caller, a representative for the Godfather’s Pizza corporate office provided a statement saying, “Godfather’s Pizza takes no position on political candidates, but we do make great pizza.”
“Herman Cain was president of Godfather’s Pizza from 1986 to 1995,” company spokeswoman Deb Ahl said in the statement. “We appreciate his contribution during this time.”
Yet another company is taking advantage of the popularity of Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan. The low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines on Thursday announced that its running a promotion called the “9-9-9″ deal. They’re offering one-way fares for $9.