This KFC Christmas commercial wanted to challenge the dominant family narratives of holiday ads by focusing on friendship. The ad pits two best friends against each other, similar to the old Newlywed Game show. The ad is designed to show how much each friend knows about the other, and the results are humorous and heartwarming. When an answer matches their friend's answer, the duo is rewarded with a piece of chicken.
KFC is calling this the 'Friendship Bucket Test' and encourages viewers to create similar videos or play the game and share their results on social media. Five twosomes of friends were chosen to star in the campaign, comprising of multiple commercials and posters.
This KFC Christmas ad speaks to a growing pattern of authentic marketing seen this holiday season. Although many brands keep in the tradition of scripted family scenes, this ad relies on the emotions and reactions of real people.
Chicken-Rewarding Holiday Ads
This KFC Christmas Commercial Tests Friends' Knowledge of Each Other
Trend Themes
1. Authentic Marketing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop genuine and relatable advertising campaigns that resonate with consumers on an emotional level.
2. User-generated Content - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Encourage consumers to create and share their own content related to your brand, fostering engagement and building a community of loyal customers.
3. Challenging Traditional Narratives - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Break away from the conventional advertising norms by presenting alternative narratives that feature friends or other non-traditional relationships.
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Find creative ways to connect with customers through unique and unexpected marketing strategies that deviate from traditional food advertising.
2. Advertising and Marketing - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Embrace the shift towards authenticity in advertising by developing campaigns that showcase real people and genuine emotions.
3. Social Media - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Leverage user-generated content and interactive challenges to generate buzz and engage audiences on social media platforms.