KFC Burns Up Its Legion of Imitators, From AFC to ZFC

It’s not usually a great idea to punch down in your marketing, but KFC has decided it’s had enough with the scores of imitators in the U.K.—and has released a campaign from Mother London reasserting Colonel Sanders as mayor of Chicken Town.

Chicken Town is actually a place in the hero spot, which shows an initially unseen protagonist driving through its grim streets, KFC knockoffs on every corner. You won’t have too much trouble guessing who the driver is.

And his place within the fried-chicken landscape is underscored by the music—a version of Nino Rota’s “Love Theme,” famously used in The Godfather, here played by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (a recording that’s actually been released by Decca Records).

The campaign includes out-of-home executions that collect the logos of every three-letter imitator, from AFC to ZFC. “Guys, we’re flattered,” says the copy at the bottom. 

“It’s flattering to have this entire legion of imitators, and we wish every chicken shop out there the best of luck. But there’s nowhere else you can get the Colonel’s Original Recipe,” says Meghan Farren, chief marketing officer at KFC UK & Ireland. “We invest time, effort and skill into freshly hand-breading Kentucky Fried Chicken in our kitchens—all day, every day—and that’s why you can only get KFC at KFC.”

“There’s only one colonel in Chicken Town. And his name is Harland Sanders. Capice?” adds Hermeti Balarin, partner at Mother. 

CREDITS

Advertiser: KFC
Creative Agency: Mother
Media Agency: Blue 449
Production Company: Pulse
Executive Producer: Lucy Kelly
Director: Sam Pilling
DOP: Pat Scola
Producer: Jane Lloyd
Edit Company: Tenthree
Editor: Ellie Johnson
Post Production / Vfx
Post Production Company: Mpc
Colorist: Jean-Clément Soret
VFX Supervisor: Marcus Dryden & George Brunt
Producer: Tamara Mennell
Creative Director: Marcus Dryden
Music Company: Universal Music & Decca Records
Composer: Nino Rota
Title: Love Theme
Performer: Royal Philharmonic Orchestra | Conductor: James Morgan