Papa John’s International Announces Camp + King as Creative Agency of Record

Papa John’s International, Inc. has named Camp + King as its creative agency of record. The announcement comes as the company prepares to launch a new advertising campaign featuring Shaquille O’Neal, Papa John’s franchisee and board member.

“We wanted a creative team who could showcase Shaquille’s unique, authentic relationship with the Papa John’s brand. We believe Camp + King is the right partner for us,” said Karlin Linhardt, Papa John’s global chief marketing officer. “We were impressed with the energy and insights they brought in their creative concepts and look forward to debuting an exciting new campaign this fall.”

Camp + King will officially start work as Papa John’s creative and strategic agency partner immediately and will work across Papa John’s brand marketing channels.

A two-time AdAge Small Agency of the Year, and most recently, one of Outside Magazine’s Best Places to Work in America, Camp + King is known for its culture of inclusion and diversity.

“Camp + King shares our commitment to having diverse talent both behind and in front of the camera,” said Melissa Richards-Person, chief brand officer at Papa John’s Inc. “Their team will add new perspective and ideas as we write the next chapter for the brand.” 

Kristin Barbour, managing director Chicago, will lead the business. The business will be led out of Camp + King's Chicago office and supported by its San Francisco headquarters.

“Papa John's has always been a leader in quality. As a personality who is larger than life, Shaquille sets a natural path for the brand to touch the hearts and minds of its customers. That's what pizza is all about - bringing people together over fun,” said Kristin.

Amir Farhang, an Iranian filmmaker who works with Hungry Man Productions, will head up the production of the Shaquille O’Neal campaign. Amir is a former agency creative, turned award-winning director, who has worked with the NBA Hall-of-Famer in the past. He’s also done work for Adidas, Nike, and Dove, to name a few.