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Marketing

KFC’s latest concoction: A Colonel Sanders bearskin rug

The chicken chain will let consumers win the rug in a Reddit creativity contest.
Photograph courtesy of KFC

KFC’s latest version of Colonel Sanders will have you floored.

The Louisville, Ky.-based chicken chain is giving away a limited-edition, faux-bearskin rug that looks like Colonel Sanders, the company’s iconic founder.

The rug is available exclusively through an online creativity contest on Reddit for Valentine’s Day.

Winners will receive the rug, fried chicken pajama onesies, a gift card for KFC for two for a year and a yearly subscription to an online streaming service.

“I’m no dating expert, but the only thing I can think of that’s more romantic than eating fried chicken on Valentine’s Day, is eating fried chicken on a faux bearskin rug created in the likeness of the greatest chicken salesman of all time—Colonel Sanders,” said Andrea Zahumensky, chief marketing officer for KFC in the U.S., in a statement.

KFC has generated marketing attention in recent years through creative uses of its founder—from a website celebrating his story to a rotating series of actors playing Sanders and products such as pillows bearing his likeness.

The company has also produced buzzworthy products such as a log that smells like fried chicken, which sold out in minutes.

In this instance, the rug is an award that can be one via one of three contests: a Photoshop battle, storytelling challenge or drawing duel.

The Photoshop battle asks graphic artists to transform an image of the rug into a “humorous, outlandish, or romantic digital masterpiece.”

In the storytelling challenge, KFC will set the scene and entrants will be asked to complete the narrative and transform it into a romantic vignette.

Artists, meanwhile, can submit a one-of-a-kind art piece “depicting their ideal romantic evening, inspired by the Colonel Sanders faux rug.”

The contest will close Sunday, and winners will be notified Monday. Packages will be delivered to each of them by Valentine’s Day. Details can be found on KFC’s Reddit profile.

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