KFC Marketing Fun or Miss-Steps

 

Driving top-line sales and bottom-line profits for a national chain are very important to the parent company and if that company has franchisees, it is of paramount importance for their success.  According to Steven Johnson, Grocerant Guru® at Tacoma, WA based Foodservice Solutions®, KFC the one-time sole leader within the grocerant niche Ready-2-Eat and Heat-N-Eat fresh prepared food sector, appears to have lost its way again.

Its new limited time offer, limited-edition "Bucket Hugger" promotion with the purchase of a qualifying bucket meal at KFC.com or on the KFC app that ran November 9-11, while supplies last* looked as if it was a ‘calendar slot filler or a joke’ rather than a brand edifying, consumer attention gathering, relevant messaging marketing attempt. There is a difference in an attention getting promo that goes virial, than a marketing team just having fun promo. That difference is you are playing with ‘other peoples’ money, franchisee money according to Johnson, insist is an important point of differentiation.

Here is what you missed, so did lots of other people, Kentucky Fried Chicken® had unveil the LTO “winter’s hottest dining accessory”.  That was a limited-edition and original (like our fried chicken recipe) Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger – to turn your bucket of KFC’s world-famous fried chicken into the ultimate holiday must-have.

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Yes, I’m sure you are asking so, just what is a Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger? Well, it’s a one-of-a-kind knitted sweater featuring a festive KFC holiday design that slides cozily onto a bucket of our world-famous fried chicken. What’s more, slip your hands into its built-in mittens to safely carry your beloved fried chicken to the holiday potluck or to keep your fingers toasty while enjoying your bucket meal outdoors with friends and loved ones.

The program ran November 9 through November 11, while supplies last, customers who order a qualifying KFC bucket meal for delivery or pickup on KFC.com or the KFC app will receive a confirmation email to claim their very own Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger this holiday season.

This offer was only available online. No Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Huggers will be available in restaurants. Now get this, all of that, and you had to work to get it!  We understand that there are thousands of KFC brand loyalist and our family is full of them, there are thousands of KFC Brand collectors, all we are suggesting is give your customer base a look ahead, give them something of relevance for today or tomorrow.

Customers had too follow the below steps to claim their free Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger:

1. Go to KFC.com or the KFC app and order a qualifying KFC bucket meal for delivery or pickup at your local KFC restaurant.

2. Once your KFC bucket meal order is placed, you will receive a confirmation email with a unique code and a link to claim your free Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger.

3. When you click the “CLAIM NOW” button in the confirmation email, you’ll enter your unique code and shipping information to receive your Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger. You must claim your free Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger by November 13

4. All claimed Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Huggers will be shipped in December, so that you can enjoy the holidays in style!

For those who may miss out on the Finger Lickin’ Chicken Mitten Bucket Hugger, never fear – more holiday fun from KFC is here. KFC’s 2021 limited-edition holiday bucket design will arrive in U.S. restaurants by the end of November, which will add even more Extra Crispy™ warmth to your holidays. Since the 1960s, KFC restaurants around the world have created unique, holiday themed buckets to celebrate the season.

KFC continued to wander saying, “In the spirit of continuing this time-honored tradition, the 2021 KFC holiday bucket features a “Winter Chickenland” scene celebrating the fun of the great outdoors fried chicken-fied! In Winter Chickenland, everything is finger lickin’ good—crispy drumsticks hang from the trees like icicles as children play in the fluffy white mashed potato snow.”

However, you celebrate this year, you can get your favorite KFC bucket meals by visiting your local KFC restaurant or ordering ahead for delivery or pick up where available. Note: not Mitten Bucket Hugger required.

Don’t over reach. Are you ready for some fresh ideations? Do your food marketing ideations look more like yesterday than tomorrow? Interested in learning how Foodservice Solutions® can edify your retail food brand while creating a platform for consumer convenient meal participation, differentiation and individualization?  Email us at: Steve@FoodserviceSolutions.us or visit us on our social media sites by clicking the following links: Facebook,  LinkedIn, or Twitter