A Seattle restaurant’s Easter-themed ad featuring Jesus holding a joint turned heads this week – proving again that there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
Lunchbox Laboratory sent the controversial promo to 15,000 customers on its email list to take advantage of the coincidence that 4/20 and Easter fall on the same day this year.
“When I get back, all I want is the burger of the Gods,” reads a speech bubble featuring a transfixed Jesus staring at a sandwich held between his hands.
Unsurprisingly, some customers weren't impressed with the art selection.
“Not at all happy with your choice in advertising. Disrespectful. Won’t be back,” wrote Charith Varga on the restaurant’s Facebook page. However, not everyone responded with threats of boycott and words of condemnation.
“I support you and your ads! I can take a joke, apparently not everyone can,” said Ashleign Klemetson.
In an interview with Komo News, owner John Schmidt defended the ad saying, “It’s not an anti-Christian message, it’s a very peaceful message, Jesus enjoying a sandwich and a blunt.”
But Schmidt isn’t the only one taking advantage of this year’s serendipitous scheduling.
A Los Angeles pastor is offering a 420-themed services this weekend after realizing half his friends weren't going to show up for Easter mass on Sunday.
Pastor Justice Coleman, founder of Freedom Church in Highland Park, told the Associated Press he’s using marijuana green-cross images and puns to make a “higher” appeal to his parishioners to denounce legalization.
"So, how could we put together a talk or a program that wouldn't celebrate smoking weed, but would celebrate the idea that there's so much more to life. That's what we're going to be talking about,” he said.
Lunchbox Laboratory sent the controversial promo to 15,000 customers on its email list to take advantage of the coincidence that 4/20 and Easter fall on the same day this year.
“When I get back, all I want is the burger of the Gods,” reads a speech bubble featuring a transfixed Jesus staring at a sandwich held between his hands.
Unsurprisingly, some customers weren't impressed with the art selection.
“Not at all happy with your choice in advertising. Disrespectful. Won’t be back,” wrote Charith Varga on the restaurant’s Facebook page. However, not everyone responded with threats of boycott and words of condemnation.
“I support you and your ads! I can take a joke, apparently not everyone can,” said Ashleign Klemetson.
In an interview with Komo News, owner John Schmidt defended the ad saying, “It’s not an anti-Christian message, it’s a very peaceful message, Jesus enjoying a sandwich and a blunt.”
But Schmidt isn’t the only one taking advantage of this year’s serendipitous scheduling.
A Los Angeles pastor is offering a 420-themed services this weekend after realizing half his friends weren't going to show up for Easter mass on Sunday.
Pastor Justice Coleman, founder of Freedom Church in Highland Park, told the Associated Press he’s using marijuana green-cross images and puns to make a “higher” appeal to his parishioners to denounce legalization.
"So, how could we put together a talk or a program that wouldn't celebrate smoking weed, but would celebrate the idea that there's so much more to life. That's what we're going to be talking about,” he said.
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