Sentimental KFC Advert

I wouldn't say KFC are my favourite brand in the world..... in fact I would say they are one of my least favourites from an animal cruelty/ healthy eating/ quality point of view. However their marketing campaigns and specifically their TV advertising does interest me....

When you think of the brand 'KFC' what springs to mind? For me it is the 'bargain bucket' adverts, the family sat around a table on a Friday evening munching on a chicken's leg, a huge bottle of Coca-cola and a pot of baked beans. The mother with a huge grin on her face stood in the background after picking up the entire family's dinner for "ONLY £9.99". Correct?

This has been KFC's advertising of choice for many years and one which targets families on a low budget who like a treat meal. I think that most people can immediately identify a KFC advert based on these characteristics.

Therefore I was shocked to see this new KFC advert by Bartle Bogle Hegarty at Blink Media Production:

Which you can watch here

The advert is sentimental, very creative and serious- not usually KFC's style at all....

It's based on a love story and is 20th-century USA themed- based on KFC's early heritage. I love the story-telling behind the advert, it's pleasant to watch and I love the spin at the end! I would expect this advert to be advertising something more premium- it makes you think and the fact they are launching "slow pulled chicken" through this campaign fits in with the little story of the man pursuing a female he has been admiring.

To understand how the story relates to the product, you have to almost think over the story over and over again in your head which I think is extremely clever as it makes the advert stick in your mind which is of course every marketer's intention when trying to build a memorable, thought-provoking advert.

However, I am interested to see how this advert is received- KFC's target audience are used to very simple, light-hearted advertising and I feel as though KFC have taken a risk in trying this new type of marketing! Let's hope they understand the message the brand is trying to ommit!

I love interesting and thought provoking marketing!!

Hope you enjoyed this post!

Stephanie