Pizza Hut Filed a Lawsuit against Papa John's(Papa John's Pizza)

Papa John's Pizza - Pizza Hut Filed a Lawsuit against Papa John's

Time: 1997

Place: Jeffersontown, Kentucky, U.S.

Details: In 1997, Pizza Hut filed a lawsuit against Papa John's based on a series of advertisements that compared the ingredients of Papa John's and its competitors. Pizza Hut successfully argued that Papa John's slogan did not constitute statements of literal fact – that "fresher ingredients" do not necessarily account for a "better" pizza. This ruling was overturned in 2000 when Papa John's appealed the decision. Although the jury's decision on the misleading advertising was upheld, the appeals court determined that Pizza Hut failed to prove, under the requirements of the Lanham Act, that the misleading advertising and puffery had a material effect on consumers' purchasing decisions.