ALTOONA, Pa. -- A billboard advertising Sheetz Inc.'s fried chicken sandwich is ruffling the feathers of some residents. The convenience store chain unveiled the "Crispy Frickin' Chicken" billboards at the beginning of February, reported the Associated Press.
The campaign consists of 100 billboards placed at locations that carry the sandwich, spokeswoman Monica Jones said Thursday. The campaign is aimed at young adults, and the company did not intend to offend anyone, she said.
"We're kind of known for edgy, kind of brash advertising tactics, and we knew this would spark a certain [image-nocss] amount of controversy," Jones told AP. "That said, we're proud of the campaign."
Sheetz will take down the billboards next Wednesday, when the campaign is scheduled to end, Jones added. The company recently removed one billboard in Hazle Township, near Hazleton, after local officials fielded complaints.
"There was a lady who left an angry voice mail," code enforcement officer Fran Calarco said. "And a man called and said he had small children and didn't think they should be exposed to that type of language."
Altoona, Pa.-based Sheetz operates c-stores in Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.