Ad of the Day: KFC's Colonel returns to UK screens in bold post-chicken shortage crisis ad
KFC has brought Colonel Sanders back on UK TV for the first time in over 40 years, in a tongue-in-cheek spot riffing off the brand's recent chicken logistic issues across the country.
The ad, created by longstanding agency Mother, looks to show that the poultry purveyor is back in business after its shops ran out of chicken back in February. And it's doing so by bringing back the spirit of its perseverant founder in a glorious high-octane blaze of herbs and spices.
"Fear not – those bleak, dark days are over. A white-suited, silver-haired icon is emerging from over the horizon," said the brand in a press release.
"A singular beacon of light, a ray of hope, returning to rescue Britain from the jaws of devastation. KFC is back, and so is the one true Chicken Connoisseur – Colonel Harland Sanders."
In other words, there's no way a company founded by a man who took 1009 separate attempts to perfect his original chicken recipe wouldn't bounce back from the escapade.
The ad was first screened during ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent final on Saturday (26 May) and will also be shown across BT Sport’s Uefa Champions League Final coverage.
An OOH iteration will showcase original artwork developed in partnership with American artist Greg Gossel - who specialises in screen-printing and collage featuring pop culture subjects. Digital content will delve further into the Colonel’s story, with documentary-style content on social media further into the campaign.
KFC has already had a bit of fun at its own expense, unveiling a responsive print ad a few days after the chicken crisis in which it replaced its logo with the word 'FCK' and issued an apology to customers.
The latest creative follows on from Mother's controversial 'The Whole Chicken' campaign. The push featured a chicken dancing to the tune of 'X Gonna Give it to Ya' and was the most-complained about ad of the year according to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
