KFC Canada
KFC Cooking School

The Goal

Consumers say they want to know more about what they eat, and truthfully, aren’t aware of the hard work and dedication that goes into KFC’s chicken beyond the 11 herbs and spices. KFC, like many quick service restaurants, had seen its fair share of consumer speculation as to what goes into its food. Rumours of chickens pumped full of hormones and cuts of chicken being pulled from a bag in the freezer started popping up in conversations in media and social circles alike. KFC wanted Canadians to recognize the in-store food preparation process as real food, prepared by real, well-trained cooks - a craft that’s been taught since the Colonel started the business.

The Insight

The agency decided to put the power in the hands of the people. With such a disconnect between public perception of freezer-to-fryer cooking, and the truth of hand-breaded, carefully prepared chicken, we recognized the best way to educate consumers and media was to show them – hands-on – exactly how KFC chicken is made.

The Plan

On Mar.18, class was in session - the world’s first cross-country experiential “open kitchen” welcomed students from Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Mississauga, Saskatoon and Halifax into its restaurants. Enrollment was in the form of a $5 “tuition fee” which was then donated to Add Hope, KFC’s CSR initiative to help fight world hunger. Led by KFC operations specialists and real KFC cooks, classes gave consumers an inside look at every step of the process, from preparing the 100% Canadian farm-raised chicken, to breading, to serving. The only thing KFC left out was the top-secret 11 herbs and spices recipe.

KFC Cooking School promotion spanned multiple mediums and channels. Earned media generated conversation with the masses and encouraged Canadians to visit the microsite to enroll in a class. KFC also hosted a select group of media for a private class before the public sessions began to further excite audiences. Influencers also played a leading role in helping spark dialogue about KFC Cooking School and product quality messaging throughout social media. Regional influencers then attended Cooking School, documenting their experiences and sharing them with fans. Paid media was deployed regionally to secure attendance. KFC’s community manager attended the Toronto session to capture content for social media. Instagram Stories were the preferred method for distribution given the highly visual story the brand sought to tell.

The Target

The campaign targeted a wide variety of consumers, ranging from fans of the brand, to its harshest critics. An important consideration for this campaign was to not put any limits on who could participate. KFC welcomed even the toughest questions because it is confident in its product, people and practices.

The Hard Sell: One segment of consumers who KFC targeted were those who had tough questions to ask or had preconceived negative notions of the product and preparation process. This was an important audience, as KFC wanted to prove to them that they were creating a high-quality product. By letting them get a first-hand look into the kitchen, KFC was able to convert some of its toughest critics into fans.

The KFC Superfan: KFC wanted to provide its biggest supporters with the chance to be a cook for the day. These fans were very engaged, sharing pictures on social media and asking questions every step of the way. While the program wanted to dispel myths with the Hard Sell audience, the KFC Superfan experience was about getting to know your favourite brand inside and out through a fun activation.

The Media: When media are hungry for transparency, KFC recognized the importance of providing them with an immersive, educational experience. This level of involvement allowed media to ask questions in real-time to fully understand the quality and craftsmanship that goes into every bucket of chicken.

The Results

Integral to the success of this campaign was the company’s willingness to be bold and think outside the bucket by having the courage to let the public into its stores. KFC’s unflappable confidence in its products and people allowed it to answer any question that came its way.

Cooking School garnered widespread conversation through social media by both consumers and influencers alike, and media relations contributed millions of earned impressions before, during and after the closing ceremonies. It saw 300 graduates across six Canadian cities. All tickets were sold out in 48 hours. The campaign generated 133.1 million impressions, with a 100% positive sentiment and $0.001 cost per contact.