Papa Johns names Chris Lyn-Sue global CMO and pivots back to mass marketing
- Aug 11
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Papa Johns has promoted Chris Lyn-Sue to global chief marketing officer and signalled a pivot back to mass-reach advertising, as Q2 2026 North American comparable sales fell 8.3%.
A new CMO amid a sales slump
Papa Johns has named Chris Lyn-Sue — previously SVP and general manager of International, and interim CMO in 2024 — as global chief marketing officer. Outgoing CMO Jenna Bromberg is leaving to pursue other opportunities and will advise through 28 August 2026.
The change comes with the pizza chain under real pressure: Q2 2026 global comparable sales fell 5.7% and North American comps dropped 8.3%. CEO Todd Penegor framed the reset around 'protecting share of voice on mass channels while still supporting a balanced channel mix'.
Back to mass reach — with a data spine
Lyn-Sue, who has held brand roles at Popeyes, Restaurant Brands International and Bacardi, inherits a plan to tilt the media mix toward greater mass exposure in the second half of 2026, reinstate marketing co-ops across most of the system by year-end, and stand up a dedicated field marketing team.
The evidence is compelling: co-ops in 50 US markets outperformed the rest of the system by 200 basis points. When local scale marketing measurably beats a fragmented approach, going back to mass isn't nostalgia — it's data.
The performance-brand pendulum swings back
Papa Johns is a neat case study in the industry's biggest debate. After years of pouring budget into digital and performance — more than 85% of its sales now come through digital channels — the brand has concluded it under-invested in the broad, memory-building reach that keeps a category brand front of mind.
Our read: this is the pendulum swinging back toward balance. Performance media harvests demand; mass reach creates it. The chains winning in 2026 are the ones rebuilding the top of the funnel they quietly hollowed out.
What operators and marketers should do
If your growth has stalled despite strong digital metrics, look hard at your reach. Efficient clicks can mask a shrinking base of people who think of you at all — and that base is what future sales are built on.
Rebuild broad awareness with distinctive, consistent creative, then let performance channels convert the demand. Papa Johns is effectively admitting it optimised itself into a corner — a warning worth heeding before your own numbers say the same.
Quick FAQ
Who is Papa Johns' new CMO?
Chris Lyn-Sue, previously SVP and GM of International and interim CMO in 2024, is now global chief marketing officer. He has held brand roles at Popeyes, Restaurant Brands International and Bacardi.
Why is Papa Johns shifting to mass marketing?
After leaning heavily on digital and performance, the chain wants to protect share of voice on mass channels. Marketing co-ops in 50 US markets outperformed the rest by 200 basis points.
How is Papa Johns performing?
Q2 2026 global comparable sales fell 5.7% and North American comparable sales dropped 8.3%, prompting the marketing reset.
— Alicia Morris, Creative & Campaigns Writer at Marketing Minute
Papa Johns is rebuilding the mass reach it hollowed out — proof that performance media harvests demand but rarely creates it.
Are strong click metrics hiding a shrinking base of people who actually think of your brand?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Dive; Restaurant Dive; MediaPost; Papa Johns Q2 2026 results.
Related reading
Written by Alicia Morris, Creative & Campaigns Writer at Marketing Minute
Comments