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First, Hapa Sushi owner Mark Van Grack offered free orange undies to participants in last week’s Naked Pumpkin Run, urging them to “Run Responsibly.”
Now he’s fired up an ad that includes a map of metro Denver with the four Hapa Sushi locations marked in red — and 59 local medical marijuana dispensaries marked in blue. “We’re just kind of saying, ‘Look, these dispensaries exist and they’re becoming part of our community, so let’s welcome them in and have some fun,'” Van Grack told the New York Times for a story published today. “If you’re going to smoke pot, you’re going to get the munchies, so come to Hapa to eat.”
The ad, created by TDA Advertising and Design of Boulder, is just the latest in a long line of Hapa hijinks.
Back in 2007, when Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron’s home-run record, Hapa ran an ad congratulating Aaron, with the fine print below noting that the restaurant had “organic beef and chicken, no added steroids.”
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But often, food makes no appearance in Hapa’s campaigns. “Most restaurants show food, but then you’re just one of a hundred,” Van Grack told the Times. “We think that our clientele appreciates smart ads that grab their attention. By creating ads that people want to talk about, that are creative and maybe controversial, then at least they are talking about our ads and Hapa is top of mind.”
