KFC's Colonel Harland Sanders Joins Street Fighter 6

He makes legs, he breaks legs!

At KFC Canada, Colonel Harland Sanders’ bad-assery hits new heights, with the brand mascot—so angry and foulmouthed in ads a few months back—joining video game Street Fighter 6.

Dude’s a lover and a fighter!

The game itself inspired the campaign, as SF6 allows users to create “recipes” for playable characters. 

“Right now, every brand wants to get into the world of e-sports,” notes client marketing director Azim Akhter. “We saw an opportunity to connect with gamers organically through our most iconic brand asset—and create a value exchange that’s authentic to the gameplay itself.” 

The SF6 version of the goateed one looks especially buff and ready to bust heads. So, presumably, he’s been hitting the gym and laying off the KFC. (Cheap shot? That’s the Street Fighter way.)

“We knew this was an idea we had to jump on and fast,” explains Dhaval Bhatt, CCO of Courage, which developed the work. “Before it was even green-lit, we had already started designing the Colonel, unlocking his wardrobe, and building the assets.”

He adds: “Simply put, you can’t sit on an idea like this. Either another brand will do it, or you’ll miss your chance to strike while the iron’s hot.”

There’s an IRL tie-in, natch. Fans who record the bespectacled bully scoring a “hit-combo” could win a KFC gift card. So they can stock up on food to fuel even more game play.