Ad of the day: KFC plucks slogans from other brands as finger lickin’ remains ill-advised
With finger-licking still advised against, KFC has looked to other brands for inspiration, adopting their famous slogans as its own.
KFC pinches Red Bull's 'Gives You Wings' slogan for its latest campaign
As unfortunate timings go, when Mother London introduced the world to 'Finger Lickin' Good' in February 2020, it could never have foreseen that the KFC spot would soon become deeply unsettling.
A big no-no according to pandemic guidelines, the ad saw KFC devourers unashamedly slurping greasy residue from their fingers, seamlessly in tune with Chopin’s Nocturne op. 9 No.2.
After the Advertising Standard's Authority (ASA) received 163 complaints, the ad was eventually pulled back for the time being. But it didn't stop there.
For 64 years, KFC's 'finger-lickin' good' slogan has been at the center of its branding. But come August, it realized that it would be irresponsible to continue with it and it launched a campaign to let the world know it wouldn't be stickin' with finger-lickin'... for now.
“That thing we've been saying for 64 years? Ignore it,“ it told its fans. “Eat the wings. Drink the gravy. Fill up on fries. Just please, forget the thing we normally suggest. You know, that thing you used to do with your tongue after finishing a delicious piece of our chicken'.“
Seven months down the line and handwashing is still very much the thing to do, as the world continues to fight the pandemic. So, while KFC waits out an appropriate time to bring back its iconic slogan, for now, it is borrowing slogans from other brands.
Using the hashtag #UntilWeCanFingerLickAgain, last Thursday (25 March) KFC posted a lighthearted message on its Twitter feed asking for suggestions on which brand slogan it could use. With its chicken fans rising to the occasion, KFC has been flooding its social feed with mock slogans, including Nike's 'Just Do It;' Specsavers 'Should Have Gone to' and Red Bulls 'Gives You Wings'.
It even went as far as to place a digital ad van outside of Nike's Oxford Street store. And, true to form, the other brands soon bit the bait on social, responding to the mock slogans.
Only popped in for a Zinger – came out with a Krushem. https://t.co/zFOm25ta1l
— Aldi Stores UK (@AldiUK) March 25, 2021
