It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, but it's the current reality of Subway's marketing team. As you probably know by now, world-famous Subway spokesman, Jared, plans to plead guilty in a child pornography case which includes allegations of sex with minors in NYC luxury hotels. And just like that, the skinny man with the giant jeans who made the "eat fresh" slogan famous is now bringing Subway an entirely different kind of media attention.
So what is a marketing team to do? Just yesterday Subway announced via twitter that they have officially severed ties with their former spokesman, saying that "Jared Fogle’s actions are inexcusable and do not represent our brand’s values. We had already ended our relationship with Jared."
But is that enough? According to restaurant industry consultant, Aaron Allen, Subway's curt two-tweet announcement is insultingly insignificant. In this article from Mashable, Allen suggests that Subway reaches out to Jared's victims, perhaps beginning a charitable campaign that focuses on abusive victims and ending the cycle. Other industry experts applaud Subway for cutting and running now, and for not getting involved in something that doesn't concern a casual dining sandwich shoppe.
One thing is clear, that this is a sticky situation with no real right answer. I look forward to examining this scandal a few months from now. Whether they like it or not, the current Subway marketing team is about to write the book on what to do when the man your brand made famous turns out to be a sexual predator - let's all hope it's not a flop.
My two cents? I think Subway should start begin an aggressive rebranding campaign. I don't necessarily agree with Allen on supporting victims of these types of crimes, since that would only extend this negative narrative. (DISCLAIMER, Victim support is supremely important, and behind-the-scenes support could go a long way a few years from now, but for the time being I think Subway should play the distance game in terms of a marketing/PR plan). Instead, Subway should begin espousing their values as a company. If Subway wants to help their patrons lead long, healthy lives, then that's what they need to be saying. "Health" is a great target at the moment since it's broader than simply "eating fresh". "Good Health" can mean a good diet, mental stability and emotional resilience, all things that reflect the opposite of Jared Fogle. Plus, healthy brands are all the buzz right now so Subway may as well jump back on that bandwagon.
One more important thing to note, this rebrand can not come from marketing alone. Public Relations will play a significant role here. If ever there was a time to call in Olivia Pope, this is it.
In the meantime I'll be dining at Panera.