KFC may be going through tough times, but that won't stop the ubiquitous chicken chain from putting out a new ad about how everyone loves its its fried fare. Or at least, how suburban families, cutesy women who wear mostly pink, middle-aged cowboys, little girls in bumblebee outfits, bodybuilders, hippie chicks, weathered fishermen and prep school teenagers—all of varying racial make-up—do.
In the 30-second commercial below from FCB Chicago, one such group gathers around an enormous dinner table that seems to have an endless number of sides. They pass around a bucket of the Colonel's chicken and grin, while the peace-and-love classic "Get Together" by the Youngbloods plays as the soundtrack of a spot that might best be described as a grab for a bucketful of demographics.
Nonetheless, it's a happy little image—the kind of upbeat charm that is a frequent motif in KFC's marketing, alongside a certain amount of quirkiness that's recently seen consumers graced with merchandise like real fried-chicken prom corsages and a computer keyboard that features facsimiles of fried chicken instead of letters. That's not to mention twee romances in the U.K. (a step up from odious British chicken musicals of years past), and the simmering nostalgic love stories of the American South.
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While chicken is generally experiencing something of a golden age in the U.S., overall fried chicken consumption—including from major restaurant chains—is reportedly down. KFC is wrestling with rising competition from Chik-fil-A, which recently surpassed it in total sales despite having fewer than half as many domestic locations. Popeye's is also gaining ground. And KFC is also suffering the effects of a tainted food scandal in China, parent company Yum! Brand's most profitable market.
Still, KFC remains the second largest fast food chain worldwide by sales, behind McDonald's. Given how much better most things taste breaded and fried, it's easy to see why.
CREDITS
Client: KFC
Agency: FCB, Chicago
Todd Tilford, CCO
Ivo Knezevic, EP
Chuck Rudnick, GCD
Gabriel Schmitt, CD
Gustavo Dorietto, CD
Matt Hartwig, PBM
Ben Gladstone, SVP, Group Management Director
Alex Jokanovic, Account Director
Alicia Caillier, Account Executive
Shannon Balmat, Assistant Account Executive
Production Company: Hungry Man
Scott Vincent, Director
Kevin Byrne, Managing Partner / Executive Producer
Dan Duffy, Executive Producer / Director of Sales
Mino Jarjoura, Executive Producer
Nancy Hacohen, Executive Producer
Craig Repass, Producer
Postproduction: Lord+Thomas
Jackie Moorman, Editor
Celena Mossell, Senior Post Producer