Coach Cal 3-Pointer raises funds for John Calipari's Foundation for Children; Kentucky Children's Hospital
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Oct 15, 2009 (// BUSINESS WIRE //) -- In just nine short weeks, Coach John Calipari, Papa John's and John and Annette Schnatter have delivered $50,000 for the children of Kentucky - without even getting up from the computer.
The 850,000 Twitter and Facebook followers and CoachCal.com members of University of Kentucky basketball coach, John Calipari, raised funds through an online promotion, The Coach Cal 3-Pointer - a large up to three topping pizza for only $10, with $1 going to the John Calipari Foundation for Children, benefiting the Kentucky Children's Hospital.
"Papa John's is thrilled to be part of the excitement that Coach Cal brings to the Bluegrass," said Jude Thompson, Papa John's president and chief operating officer. "The promotion has exceeded our wildest expectations and continues to show us the power of online ordering, social media and the Big Blue Nation."
Thompson added, "Going into this promotion, Papa John's anticipated that we would have interest from fans in Kentucky. What we didn't anticipate was that 60 percent of the redemptions on this online promotion have been from outside the borders of our Commonwealth. That says something about the popularity of the program and the new coach. We're proud to be on the team and to raise funds for the Kentucky Children's Hospital."
The John Calipari Foundation for Children is dedicated to the betterment of the lives of underprivileged children. All proceeds from the promotion will benefit Kentucky Children's Hospital. Of the $50,000 being donated, $45,000 was raised through the online promotion and $5,000 was an additional gift from John and Annette Schnatter.
Papa John's is also partnering with Coach Cal with a special copy of his new book, Bounce Back, including his autograph. Customers can order a large three-topping pizza and get the book all for $30 by going online to www.papajohns.com and using the promo code, "BOUNCE."
Headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is the world's third largest pizza company. For nine of the last 10 years, consumers have rated Papa John's No. 1 in customer satisfaction among all national pizza chains in the highly regarded American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI). Papa John's also ranks first among pizza companies in the 2008 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, was honored by Restaurants & Institutions Magazine (R&I) with the 2008 Silver Award for Consumers' Choice in Chains in the pizza segment, and was named 2007 Pizza Today Chain of the Year.
Papa John's is an official corporate partner of the University of Kentucky Athletics.
SOURCE: Papa John's International, Inc.
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