Description
KFC Begins It's Comeback Era.
KFC, along with creative agency, Highdive, is launching its most ambitious brand comeback in years with "The Colonel Lived So We Could Chicken" – a multi-chapter campaign that signals the brand's return to its bold, flavor-obsessed roots.
The Strategy Behind the Comeback: After extensive nationwide QSR research, KFC discovered a brand paradox: 90% of non-customers still have positive feelings toward the brand and would be sad if KFC disappeared, yet they're choosing competitors because they perceive KFC as "outdated" with "bland food and flavors." The research revealed that QSR customers rank KFC as the most plain and boring in the category, with non-customers being twice as likely to feel that way.
But here's the opportunity: Unlike other chicken competitors, 88% of people see Colonel Sanders and KFC as American cultural icons, resonating with the Colonel's story as "inherently American" – where hard work and passion can build something enduring.
The Campaign Rollout: The comeback unfolds in three strategic chapters:
July 11: The Colonel's iconic logo flipped from smiling to serious across some store signage, buckets, and social media – a visual disruption designed to signal real change and tease the launch
July 14: A cinematic :60 anthem spot premieres in movie theaters, with :15 and :06 versions airing on streaming platforms and during MLB on FOX
July 17: The full :75 version launches on YouTube, kicking off an elaborate treasure hunt that pays homage to KFC's ultimate secret – the 11 herbs & spices
The Innovation: A Secret Recipe Hunt The centerpiece activation features 11 hidden challenges throughout the brand anthem film, ranging from "Wordle-level tough" to "borderline quantum physics." Winners who crack these secret codes win 11 months of free KFC. The hunt begins with a clue hidden in Matty Matheson's tattoo, emphasizing that just like the Colonel, participants shouldn't take shortcuts.
This represents KFC's strategic evolution from nostalgic comfort brand to bold American icon, leveraging deep consumer insights about the Colonel's enduring cultural significance while directly confronting taste perception challenges that have impacted market share.
This professional campaign titled 'The Colonel Lived So We Could Chicken' was published in United States in July, 2025. It was created for the brand: KFC US, by ad agency: Highdive. This Film and Integrated media campaign is related to the Food industry and contains 3 media assets. It was submitted 5 months ago.
Credits
Brand: KFC US
Brand Manager: Abigail DeSpain
Brand Manager: Stephanie Ibanez
Brand Director: Tori Carter
Brand Manager: Anna Faktorovich
President: Catherine Tan Gillespie
Agency / Creative: Highdive
Business Affairs Manager: Brenna Alfano
Business Affairs Director: Kelley Beaman
Strategy Director: Jamie Kohler
Strategy Director: Marisa Rondinelli
Strategy Director: Erin Wong
Producer: Kamerin McAllister
Producer: Abby Merhar
Producer: Emily Addy
Executive Producer: Lindsay Vetter
Head of Production: Jen Passaniti
Account Executive: Amber Mekled
Account Executive: Nicole Hill
Account Director: Arianna Coxe
Account Director: Danielle Murphy
Group Account Director: EB Jackson
Copywriter: Frank Viglione
Art Director: Gaby Bates
Art Director: Ryan Almond
Copywriter: Andy Frank
Copywriter: Kate Sheehan
Production: Reset
Costume Designer: Astrid Gallegos
Production Designer: Freyja Bardell
Grip: Derrick Armand
Lighting: Nizar Najm
Director of Photography: Christophe Collette
Supervisor: Cesar Villasenor
Supervisor: Ashley Rabin
Line Producer: Kristin Porter
Head of Production: Jen Bilec
Executive Producer: Megan Moore
Managing Director: Dave Morrison
Director: Dorian & Daniel
Post Production: Parliament
Producer: Kate Matos
Producer: Kat Maidment
Producer: Ashley Goodwin
Producer: Anna Borysewicz
Creative: Yuichiro 'Yama' Yamashita
Creative: Taner Besen
Creative: Nick Hiatt
Creative: Matthew Maude
Creative: Liam Jurkowich
Creative: Kevin Gillen
Creative: Kay Khanna
Creative: Juan Carlos Barquet
Creative: Jakob Hill
Creative: Edgar De La Torre
Creative: Dan Bodenstein
Creative: Cesar Zambelli
Creative: Ashley Thomas
Creative: Alex Koester
Creative: Adam Deutsch
Creative Director: Brandon Thomas
VFX: 1986
Edit Assistant: Lilly Beck
Edit Assistant: David Soto
Editor: Carlos Lowenstein
Flame Artist: Jeff Kyle
Flame Artist: Rex Carter
Flame Lead: Randy McEntee
Producer: Paige Buschkoetter
Executive Producer: Mike Trivosonno
Executive Producer: Larissa Berringer
Music: BUTTER Music and Sound
EP: Renée Massé
CCO: Andrew Sherman
ECD: Dan Zank
Creative Director: Josh Canevari
Music Supervisor: Ryan Alons
Associate Producer: Anneliese Daley
Audio Post: Another Country
Executive Producer: Louise Rider
Managing Director: Tim Konn
Audio Assistant: Brett Rossiter
Audio Assistant: Lucas Hansa
Sound Designer: Peter Erazmus
