KFC on Monday announced a new ad campaign that was as revealing about the state of the brand in the U.S. as it was on the chicken tenders the chain is now selling.
The Louisville, Kentucky-based fast-food chicken chain is selling new Original Recipe Tenders, featuring the chain’s famous 11 herbs and spices.
In the process, it takes a shot at rival Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, noting, “Why choose ‘Louisiana herbs and seasonings’ when you can get the iconic KFC Original Recipe of 11 herbs and spices (one of the most protected trade secrets in the world)?”
And on Thursday, the company plans to offer free chicken tenders in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Atlanta, “the doorsteps of the competition.” Popeyes was founded in 1972 in New Orleans, though these days it is based in Miami.
For KFC, however, the campaign is a clear sign that the chain is now in a different position than it has been historically.
Once the country’s dominant player in the chicken business—a position it still occupies internationally—KFC years ago lost that title to the Atlanta-based chicken sandwich chain Chick-fil-A.
And then last year, it lost its status as the country’s largest bone-in chicken chain to Popeyes. This year, the gap widened. Popeyes' same-store sales have outperformed KFC by at least 550 basis points in each of the past four quarters. At one point, both Popeyes and Chick-fil-A were fractions of KFC’s size. Both aspired to be in the position that KFC occupied.
Now KFC is the one that aspires to become the bigger chain. Once the chicken champion, it is now a chicken challenger.
But that gives KFC more permission to be more aggressive when it comes to marketing, which means it can take shots, subtle or direct, at those larger players.
The company’s announcement also hinted at its position in another way, with a new sauce called “Comeback Sauce” that is designed to pair with the chicken tenders. KFC is also introducing Cherry Pie Poppers with cherry pie filling in a buttery, flaky crust, and cranberry lemonade.
The tenders target an area of rapidly growing competition in the restaurant space. Raising Cane’s, the rapidly growing fast-casual chain, has generated strong sales with its “chicken fingers.” That kind of success typically attracts competition, and more fast-food brands of all types have been eyeing a piece of the market.
“We know consumers crave bold flavor and chicken tenders are a familiar favorite,” Catherine Tan-Gillespie, chief marketing and development officer for KFC US, said in a statement.
KFC’s campaign also takes an “over-the-top” shot at ongoing “battles” in the fast-food space, such as chicken sandwiches, sauces, value and now, apparently, tenders.
The new introduction, however, also targets value customers. The chain is introducing a $5 Tenders Box, featuring three tenders, fries and two of the chain’s sauces. The company is also revealing a family meal deal for $24.99 featuring both tenders and nuggets, exclusively for digital consumers.
And KFC will feature 13 days of offers for members of its KFC Rewards loyalty program, starting Saturday through the end of the month.
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