Creative Director’s Choice: Saatchi & Saatchi London’s Franki Goodwin on KFC’s finger-lickin’ ad
Creative Director’s Choice gives creative directors a chance to highlight the best work and spotlight campaigns that are making a difference.
KFC Finger Lickin' Good ad
This week, Saatchi & Saatchi London creative director Franki Goodwin talks about the short-lived brilliance of KFC's 'Finger Lickin' Good' OOH ads.
Across the industry, campaigns are being put on hold, shoots cancelled and endless crisis Zoom meetings are being held to manage the fallout of this unprecedented and awful situation.
So at this point, I hope it’s forgivable to think of KFC as one of the lucky ones. Because Mother’s finger-lickin’ film and masterful OOH got a week in the world before Covid-19 took hold and the stark, germ-ridden reality of eating fast food in a public place with your bare hands took over from the warm, deliciously greasy world the work evoked.
Instantly, we are transported to the end of a really good night out; not too pissed, in a vibey little American chicken joint. Outside, rain beats down. Inside, the smells of really great chips waft as schmaltz and chicken juices slide down your surprisingly attractive forearm.
Pretty powerful for two words and one perfectly composed photograph.
I’m going to write that again. Two words. One photograph.
There’s not even a vector logo graphic on the posters. Not even a tiny one in a consistent placement with a cheeky hashtag. It’s pure, minimal, perfect. In a world of best practice guidelines telling our clients when and where to put logos, it’s a blessed relief that this can still happen.
The ads have been pulled for now, but KFC says they’ll be back. And I do hope they see the light again – when the simple pleasures portrayed, unbelievably now prohibited, can be enjoyed once more.
Franki Goodwin is creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi London.
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