2024 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Fries are the most ordered item in QSRs and the most popular side item, holding a 12.5% share. Additionally, 71% of chicken sandwich sales are combo-driven, highlighting the importance of good sides, like fries.

But while KFC is known for having the best-tasting chicken, it’s also unfortunately known for having the worst fries, receiving 87% negative sentiment. In fact, only 1% of Canadian consumers rated KFC’s fries as the best, compared to 51% for the category leader, McDonald's. KFC used social listening to identify and pinpoint the widespread dislike of KFC's fries.

Over the years, many Canadians have taken their grievances online, including comments like "Everyone complains about KFC fries but nothing is ever done" and "If I wanted fries, I would have gone to McDonald's" or the succinct and to the point, "These fries suck."

To address this shortcoming, KFC was preparing to launch all-new, seasoned fries with better packaging, coupled with a limited time $1 promotion to drive trial. Their challenge was to overcome the notoriously bad reputation of its fries with a breakthrough campaign that would drive consideration and, ultimately, sales.

The brand’s insight was this – rather than shy away from this embarrassing reality, they should embrace it to signal the start of a new fry worthy of siding along KFC’s beloved chicken. For KFC to have any fry credibility, the brand had to not only unveil the new fries but also acknowledge past shortcomings.

The resoundingly negative consumer feedback around the old fries played a critical role in prompting KFC Canada to overhaul their fries – it was also the catalyst for the campaign idea. Public demand was so strong that seeing an end to the old fries was a clear driving force. Their idea was to create a farewell funeral for the old fries that would symbolize the end of the old fries era and the beginning of a new one.

The centerpiece of the idea was the “Fry Funeral”, a live-streamed event symbolizing the departure of the old fries and the introduction of the new ones. Teasers on TikTok, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube built anticipation, inviting viewers to tune into the livestream.

The eulogy portion of the funeral livestream showed KFC's old fries being dumped into a casket, with the speaker delivering the eulogy and reading out real online comments criticizing KFC’s horrible fries. Throughout the livestream, viewers were encouraged to comment and interact in real time to express their opinions of KFC’s fries one last time.

After the eulogy, a hearse toured key locations in Toronto, including stops at KFC locations and the Budweiser Stage during a Snoop Dogg concert, creating further buzz and public interaction. The sheer spectacle of the hearse tour generated significant media coverage and social media chatter.

The tour culminated with the burial of the old fries before KFC introduced the new fries at a special promotional price of $1 for a limited time, designed to lower the barrier for trial. The goal was to create something that could not be ignored. And hosting a “Fry Funeral” did just that.

The campaign became KFC's second biggest PR success ever globally, garnering over 3.7 billion impressions online thanks to the engaging social campaign. On TikTok alone, the videos amassed over 22 million views, boosting social presence and followers. The “Fry Funeral” got people talking, resulting in 377%
WOM exposure.

Additionally, KFC saw an 8.6% jump in same-store sales – 160% above forecasted growth – reversing declining transactions. Brand love shot up by 300%, showing the campaign shifted perception of not just the fries but the brand overall. The “Fry Funeral” wasn’t just a campaign. It was the start of a new conversation about KFC’s fries.

Credits

Agency: Courage
Founder, CCO: Dhaval Bhatt
Founder, CCO: Joel Holtby
Partner, CSO: Tom Kenny
Partner, President: Niki Sahni
Writer: Matt Miller
Art Director: Tommy Yong
Group Account Director: Alex Karayannides
Account Supervisor: Atria Ghosh
Account Coordinator: Chloe Chan
Senior Strategist: Lyndsey Westfall
Executive Producer: Clair Galea
Producer: Katie Fowler

FRENCH
CD, Writer: André Paradis
CD, Writer: Alain Forget
Group Account Director: Nicole De Ravel

Client: KFC
Chief Marketing Officer: Katherine Bond-Debicki
Marketing Director: Azim Akhtar

Production: Spy Films
Director, Production Designer: Hope Little
Executive Producer: Marcus Trulli
DP: John Ker
Assistant Director: Jeffery Cowan
Line Producer: Mollie Rolfe
Production Manager: Steven Goetz
Coordinator: Leah Munro

Offline: Nimiopere
Editor: Nick Yumul
Assistant Editor: Parnika Raj
Executive Producer: Julie Axell

Transfer: Studio Feather
Colourist: Ana Escorse
Colour Assist: Ebi Agbeyegbe
Executive Producer: Chantelle Blagrove

Online: Alter Ego
Senior VFX Artist: Joel Osis
VFX Assistant: Saba Zahir
Producer: Andrew Tavares
Executive Producer - Hilda Pereira

Audio: Vapor Music
Creative Director: Ethan Myers
Sound Engineer: Julian Rudd
Sound Design: Dave Worthen
Producer: Kat Stewart

Casting: Mann Casting
Casting Director: Steven Mann
Casting Director: Sarah Sheps
Casting Associate: Andy Reid

Media: Wavemaker
CEO: Nikki Stone
Managing Director: Dan Boem
Associate Director: Daniel Balment
Client Business Manager: Blanca Gamez

PR: Narrative
EVP, Managing Director: Cathy Mitchell
Vice President: Lauren Baswick