Finger Lickin' KFC Apologizes to Knives, Forks, Spoons

KFC Canada’s recipe for memorable ads keeps evolving, with its creative approaches increasingly hard to predict. No one expected Colonel Sanders to get potty-mouthed or join Street Fighter 6. And this tongue-in-cheek funeral for French Fries took folks by surprise.

Now, agency Courage tweaks the menu again with a sorry-not-sorry “apology” to knives, forks and spoons, highlighting the restaurant’s beloved tagline:

“Sorry, Utensils, It’s Finger Lickin’ Good.”

Director Henry Scholfield delivers spots driven by Air Supply’s power ballad “All Out of Love.” Because every campaign has an ’80s tie-in these days. (Don’t forget this one. And here, too.)

“Great brands find ways to keep things fresh, while staying true to their DNA,” Courage CCO Dhaval Bhatt tells Muse. “For us, it’s always about hitting different notes while staying true to KFC’s core mission of being fun and unapologetic. So, whether we’re holding an unapologetic funeral for our old fries or launching a spot that celebrates finger lickin’ good food while making you shed a small tear for the useless utensils, it all ladders up to the brand’s DNA.”

Ultimately, the effort seeks to update KFC nostalgia with fun notions and mild snark that will resonate with customers of all ages.

“It’s Finger Lickin’ Good’ is one of the most famous taglines in the world, which is exciting … but also a bit intimidating, because there have been decades of great ads that have already used it,” says agency Joel Holtby. “With this campaign, I hope we found a way to bring this very familiar line to life in a way that feels fresh and unexpected.”

The work breaks this week, with OOH and print shot by Nikki Ormerod boasting impressive style.

“We wanted to capture that moment of pure pleasure and joy with KFC through the eyes of almost an ex-lover—in this case, the utensils—wishing that it could have been them in that moment,” Holtby says. “Nikki and her team brought an amazing level of craft to these images, setting up each location to be reflective of different moments, and keeping all the perfect imperfections [people’s expressions and such] in the design.”