Jeremy Clemetson has been slaving away at the East of Chicago Pizza chain in Chicago since 1995, and he’s all set to start his own restaurant in Barberton, Ohio. For fourteen years, he’s run his East of Chicago Pizza business, and he loves what he does. Because he wants to get more consumers into his store, he’s started advertising on the nearby in order to attract commuters and increase awareness about his pizza.
However, Clemetson made the decision to utilize a tone in his marketing that generated a great deal of controversy. Despite its amusing, people in the community found it disrespectful and hurtful. Some people, on the other hand, believe they are not quite as bad.
“Now Hiring, Must Show Up,” “If it’s not there in thirty minutes, move closer,” and “Free Box with Every Pizza” were some of the slogans he used in his advertising. “Tammy, you need to show up to work,” “Our Deep Dish Pizza is as big as a pothole.”
The one about Tammy was a dig at her for taking extended medical leave. Clemetson acknowledges that he doesn’t come up with many of the ideas himself. He just picks them up from other creative individuals who have already done similar things on the internet. He’s brave enough to include them in an ad for his company.
“I scour the internet for different signs that people had. Sometimes I use them, and sometimes I reinvent my own.”
His slogans are usually considered amusing. Customers have said they were the main reason they wanted to try his pizza restaurant, according to him. The customer assumes that if the advertising is witty, the food must be good.
The one slogan he wanted to lift. However, it had already been employed by a major motel chain. The phrase was a put-down of obese individuals, who are one of Clemetson’s most loyal customers. The phrase “Fat people are harder to kidnap” was the one that Clemetson wanted. By no means did Clemetson create the phrase, but he decided he would steal it and use it on a billboard with a photo of pepperoni pizza.
“I discussed the sign with a few people, and everyone thought it was funny. So I threw it up on our front sign, and no one said anything.”
For weeks, the sign had been posted on Facebook. It had not received a single critical remark. That is when Clemetson decided to take the “fat people” sign on the road.
Customers soon started filing complaints with the company’s headquarters.
The individual who filed the complaint also sent the same message to Fox 8, which he or she deemed “rude.”
Several others felt that it was not only hurtful to fat persons, but also in bad taste since it was hung during National Human Trafficking Month.
Following the statement, Clemetson has expressed his regret for glossing over the significance of the kidnapping allusion.
Is the sign funny or offensive to you?
