KFC Motivator: “The Colonel Ain’t Smiling”

Acknowledging the intense competition in the fried chicken fast-food sector, KFC Corp. (Louisville) is seeking to make a comeback. It’s starting by offering a “Free Bucket On Us,” available on KFC.com and the KFC app. In exchange, the brand makes this request: “Try our chicken, tell us what you think and help co-create this comeback.”

“If people can give their ex-es a million second chances, I hope our fans can give us one,” said Catherine Tan-Gillespie, President of KFC U.S., a unit of Yum! Brands Inc. “By listening to our customers and addressing feedback, we’ll reclaim our rightful place in the fried chicken game we started. Come back and give us a shot—your first bucket’s on us.”

As is often the case, company founder Col. Harlan Sanders will be integral to the campaign. But this time, KFC notes, “the Colonel’s expression has shifted from his typical cheerful to serious in store signage and in billboards, with a shift in tone on social—indicating KFC is serious about winning back the hearts (and stomachs) of its fans one hot, crispy, irresistible piece of Original Recipe chicken at a time. Said Tan-Gillespie: ‘The Colonel would not be happy about our market share, and we’re serious about reminding America exactly who we are: the game-changer with a relentless pursuit of the best fried chicken. We won’t smile until our customers do.’”

Though the company didn’t name any competitors’ or provide any specific figures on its market slide, such information is readily available. A typical example: earlier this year, the Food Republic website ran an article headlined the “12 Fried Chicken Chains Ranked From Worst To Best,” with 75-year-old KFC coming in dead last, trailing such fast-growing chains as Popeye’s (#5) and Chick-fil-A (#4), with celeb chef Guy Fieri’s fledgling concept, Chicken Guy! (16 locales), topping the list. (KFC, by contrast, has 30,000 units.)

The text accompanying KFC’s ranking was bleak, indeed: “The vibe of the restaurant I visited was simply sad. The staff didn’t seem remotely happy to be there, and except for the upbeat music playing, no one seemed to be enjoying their time… The [chicken] tender very much matched the feel of the restaurant. Altogether, it didn’t taste particularly fresh. It had a rather chewy texture, and I found that the breading was just barely there.”

That kind of description does seem likely to have drawn a frown from the Colonel. Only time will tell if the chain’s re-boot works – but if nothing else, it can be argued that the company should be given credit for trying to address its shortcomings head-on.