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A little over three weeks ago, KFC released a new advertisement on its social media platforms. The moment the ad was released, it provoked reactions from people all over the world, not only in the UK, which is the primary country and target of the ad. The reactions varied in severity, but most were displeased with the idea and execution that they took to social media to share their discomfort publicly. So, what could be the major problem that made this Ad globally unpopular?
The Ad: Confusion From the Very First Minute
This campaign was released in two parts under the name “Believe.” The first part didn’t get as widely popular as the second one; it was regarded as an intro for the campaign and wasn’t as confusing, but still contained some confusing subliminal messages.
The second ad opens in an almost apocalyptic scene with a wandering man who finds none other than a chicken. From this moment, the ad continues to take a series of very confusing and uncomfortable events. A golden egg, a crowd of people moving inconvertibly, and that ends with a man turning into a literal piece of fried chicken. I mean, how weird can it be to fry a literal human into a piece of fried chicken? Yes, pretty normal and has been encountered on several occasions.
Reactions: Baffled and Bewildered
The ad cultivated many reactions, and the only common thing among them all is being utterly confused. From YouTube comments to tweets from people all around the world, the main question was, “What is the point behind all of this?” or “How did someone think that this was a good idea?”
People were also infuriated with the cult-like scenes included in the ad, thinking there was a double meaning behind it. It is also worth mentioning that KFC is among the boycotted brands, so their stance is already not the brightest.
Metaphor or Mayhem?
Now, the real question is, does this ad follow the “metaphors” kind of vibe, or is it just chaos just titled as an ad? If we look at this from the marketing side, a good ad should have a handful of factors.
The most important factor that should be analyzed to make a final say about the KFC ad is the message. An ad message should be as clear as day, showing a glimpse of the brand and the value it can provide. In KFC’s case, you can’t find either. Nothing is associated with or gives the impression that this ad is about fried chicken or a fast-food chain; maybe it’s just the fried chicken/man (literally).
The visuals are grand, but what are we left with? No mention of taste, no spotlight on a new menu item, no storytelling around the dining experience. It’s almost as if KFC decided that creating a cinematic chicken cult was enough to capture attention without needing to say anything substantial about the food itself.
From a marketing standpoint, it’s risky. Yes, it generates buzz. Yes, it’s weirdly unforgettable. But brand clarity? Value proposition? Relevance? All tossed into the fryer. Viewers who aren’t already familiar with KFC might watch the ad and walk away asking, “What did I just watch—and what does it have to do with dinner?”
So, metaphor or mayhem? It leans heavily into the latter. And while mayhem can be entertaining, this one is not.
Final Thoughts
It is very clear that if the goal was to get people talking, mission accomplished. But apparently, not everyone’s speaking the same language. KFC successfully created a buzz, a huge one even. However, the buzz wasn’t clearly in their favor as they thought it would be. Going all wild with hidden metaphors and subliminal messages can be a successful strategy, but definitely not for a fast food chain already operating with much controversy around them.
