Sushi joint takes dig at Bonds
By COLLEEN SLEVIN, Associated Press Writer
Thu Aug 2, 9:08 PM ET
DENVER - As Barry Bonds pushes for home run No. 755 to tie one of baseball's most hallowed records, a Colorado sushi restaurant is celebrating the man who set the record — Hank Aaron.
Hapa Sushi Grill ran a half-page ad Thursday in the satirical weekly The Onion that read "Congratulations Hank Aaron on 755 home runs." At the bottom of the page, the ad continues: "Organic beef and chicken, no added steroids." Full-page ads are planned for two Boulder, Colo., daily newspapers starting Friday.
Hapa, which has two locations in Boulder and one in Denver, previously has used skinny sumo wrestlers and flaming bags of fast-food hamburgers in its ads to promote its healthy Japanese food.
Hapa founder Mark Van Grack said the ad taps into the Bond controversy to promote his business but it also sends a message like other previous ads for the company.
"Think about what you're doing. Be healthy. You don't need steroids do something great, as Hank Aaron did," he said of the message.
Jonathan Schoenberg of TDA Advertising & Design in Boulder, who created the ad, said it's intended as a tribute to Aaron. But he acknowledged it's also a roundabout dig at Barry Bonds, who has been accused of using steroids. Bonds has long denied doping.
"It's just a reminder that people are questioning the legitimacy of his breaking this incredible record," said the 39-year-old Schoenberg, who grew up admiring Catfish Hunter, Reggie Jackson and Thurman Munson as a New York Yankees fan in the 1970s.
He said he got the idea about a month ago after reading Aaron didn't plan on watching Bonds tie the record.
Schoenberg said he still feels bad for Bonds, because the steroid allegations will cloud his accomplishments.
"You're so famous for something you don't want to be famous for," he said.
Link
Original Post
