Gen-Z, Millennial Male Opps: KFC launches campaign to promote chicken sandwich (Score 31)

As we predicted earlier this year, KFC launched a campaign to promote the new chicken sandwich. The campaign is supported by a 15-second spot called "Chicken Business" that is airing on national TV and online. However, the highlight of the campaign are the OOH billboard ads that are being placed in major cities that read "We Make The Chicken Sandwiches Around Here." KFC is placing these ads near rivals such as Burger King, McDonalds' and Wendy's. 

According to Pathmatics, KFC earned 793.6m impressions through Facebook ads (33%), Instagram ads (32%), desktop video ads (24%), desktop display ads (8%), mobile display ads (2%) and Twitter ads (1%). It placed the majority (99%) of these ads site direct onto sites such as facebook.com, instagram.com, youtube.com, draftkings.com and twitter.com. It placed the remainder (1%) indirectly through Adobe Media Optimizer onto sites such as lifewire.com, about.com, reddit.com, complex.com and mashable.com. It spent around $6.7m on digital display ads YTD, a 68% increase from $4m spent in this channel during the same time period of 2020. Full-year spend equaled $22.2m in 2020, a significant increase from $7.7m spent in 2019. 

Magellan reports KFC placed eight podcast ads over the last year. 

Per iSpot, KFC spent around $22.1m on national TV ads YTD, less than half (46%) of the $47.9m spent during the same time period of 2020. Full-year spend dropped 18% from $220.7m in 2019 to $180.5m in 2020. This year, it placed ads during programming such as "NFL Football," "NBA Basketball," "Family Guy," "2021 Daytona 500" and "The Bachelor." 

Sellers-- KFC mainly targets Gen-Z and millennials, but its TV ads may be targeting a slightly older audience including Gen-Xers. It has been decreasing TV spend for a couple of years now as it ads dollars to digital ads. It also invests in OOH, radio and local broadcast TV ads, per Kantar. Sellers should reach out soon to secure possible last-minute campaign ad dollars. 

Agency & martech readers-- KFC works with creative & media AOR Wieden + Kennedy and PR AOR Edelman. I am not seeing any signs pointing to a potential review any time soon. You will likely have better luck looking for other opportunities.