From the AJC:
ATHENS — The owners of Alumni Cookie Dough knew there would be some Ohio State blowback over their new “Bullard’s Buckeye Crunch” promotion, but they have been taken aback by the level of vitriol they’ve encountered.
Jennifer and Mike Dollander own the Athens-based dessert franchise that contracted with Georgia star Javon Bullard to create a special flavor of edible cookie dough to commemorate Bullard’s hit on Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. in the College Football Playoff semifinals in December. Harrison suffered a concussion on the play and did not return. The Bulldogs rallied to outscore the Buckeyes 18-3 in the fourth quarter on the way to a 42-41 victory.
Ohio State fans got wind of Alumni Cookie Dough’s promotion and the backlash has been intense. The owners say they’ve received harassing phone calls to their Athens restaurant, and they’ve been receiving multiple one-star reviews on Google.
“I was at the café when we received a phone call from a woman threatening us and telling us she was going to ruin us and that we were horrible people,” Jennifer Dollander said Thursday. “So that prompted me to make a script for our employees that’s right by the phone if somebody else like that calls.”
The messages on their restaurant’s Facebook page have been even worse.
“One guy called us ‘ignorant Southern crackers’ and said the best thing that ever happened to Georgia was when Sherman burned it to the ground,” Dollander said, laughing. “What they don’t realize is for every negative comment like that, the Dawg Nation loves it that much more.”
Google won’t take down reviews with comments. So, the Dollanders have turned to social media to encourage Georgia fans to counter the negative reviews with positive ones.
“If they have enjoyed Alumni Cookie Dough, please give us a 5-star review,” she said.
ATHENS — The owners of Alumni Cookie Dough knew there would be some Ohio State blowback over their new “Bullard’s Buckeye Crunch” promotion, but they have been taken aback by the level of vitriol they’ve encountered.
Jennifer and Mike Dollander own the Athens-based dessert franchise that contracted with Georgia star Javon Bullard to create a special flavor of edible cookie dough to commemorate Bullard’s hit on Ohio State star Marvin Harrison Jr. in the College Football Playoff semifinals in December. Harrison suffered a concussion on the play and did not return. The Bulldogs rallied to outscore the Buckeyes 18-3 in the fourth quarter on the way to a 42-41 victory.
Ohio State fans got wind of Alumni Cookie Dough’s promotion and the backlash has been intense. The owners say they’ve received harassing phone calls to their Athens restaurant, and they’ve been receiving multiple one-star reviews on Google.
“I was at the café when we received a phone call from a woman threatening us and telling us she was going to ruin us and that we were horrible people,” Jennifer Dollander said Thursday. “So that prompted me to make a script for our employees that’s right by the phone if somebody else like that calls.”
The messages on their restaurant’s Facebook page have been even worse.
“One guy called us ‘ignorant Southern crackers’ and said the best thing that ever happened to Georgia was when Sherman burned it to the ground,” Dollander said, laughing. “What they don’t realize is for every negative comment like that, the Dawg Nation loves it that much more.”
Google won’t take down reviews with comments. So, the Dollanders have turned to social media to encourage Georgia fans to counter the negative reviews with positive ones.
“If they have enjoyed Alumni Cookie Dough, please give us a 5-star review,” she said.
