Dive Brief:

• KFC’s Colonel Sanders is back at the forefront of the brand’s marketing and has taken on a serious demeanor as part of a multi-phased campaign that aims to return the Yum Brands chain to growth, according to a press release.
• A new spot, “Obsession,” recounts the meticulous process that led the Colonel to come up with KFC’s signature 11 herbs and spices recipe and chicken-frying technique. The ad co-stars Matty Matheson, a celebrity chef and actor on “The Bear,” which the campaign appears stylistically inspired by.
• In addition, KFC has revamped its logo on billboards, signage and social channels. The Colonel now bears a scowl instead of his usual grin to demonstrate his displeasure at KFC’s poor performance and affirm the company is committed to winning back customers.

Dive Insight:

KFC has contended with a period of U.S. sales declines even as offerings that land in its wheelhouse, such as fried chicken sandwiches, remain highly in demand among fast-food diners. The brand’s founder-turned-mascot isn’t happy about the loss of market share and is again in the spotlight as KFC tries to usher in what it is billing as a “comeback era.”

The latest marketing from the chain takes a bold approach to transparency, committing to righting the ship by flipping Colonel Sanders’ usually cheery disposition into a stern one, including on store signage and out-of-home ads. Sanders has played a less prominent role in KFC’s consumer-facing strategy in recent years but prior iterations of the character, often portrayed by a rotating cast of celebrities, have been well-received.

The “Obsession” spot at the same time brings the brand back to more narrative-driven advertising by repositioning Sanders as a “chefpreneur” who toils away to perfect his recipe, with some initially disastrous results, including exploding fryers and courtroom brawls with copycats. The gritty creative, developed with agency Highdive, captures the same high-stakes vibe as “The Bear,” which is similarly set in the culinary world and stars Matheson, himself a well-known chef.

“Obsession” premieres in movie theaters Monday, right as the summer box office heats up, while cutdowns will run on streaming platforms and during MLB broadcasts on Fox. On July 17, KFC is also launching a longer-form version of the spot on YouTube that includes a treasure hunt component inspired by its 11 herbs and spices blend. Eleven challenges, with difficulties ranging from Wordle-tough to “borderline quantum physics,” will be hidden in video elements such as Matheson’s tattoo. Those who crack the code will win 11 months of free KFC. 

The larger campaign, which is titled “The Colonel Lived So We Could Chicken” and carries a significant media investment, was inspired by QSR research that showed consumers view Sanders as a cultural icon and resonate with a founder story they see as “inherently American.” Despite perceiving KFC as outdated and carrying bland food, 90% of non-customer respondents stated they had positive feelings toward the brand.   

“We’re well aware of the latest fried chicken rankings and I’m fired up to launch a bold Kentucky Fried Comeback and remind America exactly who we are. If people can give their ex a million second chances, I hope our fans can give us one," said Catherine Tan-Gillespie, president of KFC U.S., in a statement.

To entice diners to give it another chance, KFC is running a Free Bucket On Us digital promotion through its app and website that offers a free chicken bucket with any order of $15 and more and encourages consumers to give their feedback to assist with the comeback plan. Fried pickles, currently trendy with cohorts like Gen Z, are also coming to the KFC menu.

KFC has undergone other changes to its marketing of late. Tan-Gillespie joined the company’s U.S. division from Canada in August as chief marketing and development officer before being promoted to president this spring. KFC last year dropped MullenLowe as its lead creative agency in favor of a roster approach, Ad Age reported, noting at the time that Highdive had been appointed to lead a brand reset initiative that is now coming to fruition. It has not announced a CMO successor.

Some of KFC’s experiments have seen success, such as a Saucy store concept oriented around tenders, chicken sandwiches and sauces. But for the flagship brand, pressure from a competitive set that includes Raising Cane’s, Wingstop, Chick-fil-A and Popeyes has been intense. All of those rivals notched consumer spending increases in 2024, per Circana data, while KFC’s U.S. arm was down 4% to $4.34 billion for the year.