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FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2009
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5

Behind KFC's Marketing Meltdown

How does a TV ad blitz and an Oprah endorsement result in a brand nightmare?

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(Newser) – How to engineer a marketing disaster: Make offer, rescind offer, turn away hungry customers. Kentucky Fried Chicken’s grilled-chicken promotion was to be the largest launch in the chain’s history but turned out to be a promotional nightmare, Advertising Age reports in a look at how a massive TV ad campaign and an Oprah tie-in has led to increased negative feelings toward KFC’s brand. How does one bungle something as simple as grilled chicken?

KFC’s offer made the brand the No. 1 Topic on Twitter by last Wednesday, but by Friday, the day after the offer was pulled, negative mentions on the Web shot up 33%, while the 89% positive mentions of the day before evaporated. Says one ad exec: “KFC did more damage to its brand by running an incomplete promotion than if they had just not launched the campaign in the first place."

A sign at the front counter in the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Indianapolis promotes the new grilled chicken that is being offered to customers Friday, March 21, 2008.
A sign at the front counter in the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Indianapolis promotes the new grilled chicken that is being offered to customers Friday, March 21, 2008.   (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Customers leave a KFC restaurant October 30, 2006 in San Francisco, California.
Customers leave a KFC restaurant October 30, 2006 in San Francisco, California.   (Getty Images)
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With this overwhelmingly negative response, KFC did more damage to its brand by running an incomplete promotion than if they had just not launched the campaign in the first place.
- Al DiGuido, CEO of Zeta Interactive

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5 comments
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Robert_Dada
May 11, 09 3:35 PM CDT
If the Colonel was still around, he'd have those responsible fried, er, I mean fired. Reply
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PaleRider
May 11, 09 4:19 PM CDT
Does it really matter what the press says, people are still going to buy the chicken. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
Mr.C
May 11, 09 8:04 PM CDT
Denney's pulled this off successfully and the positive feelings that came with the promotion will serve them well in the future. If one place pisses you off because they didn't honor their coupon then you aren't likely to go back. --but no.. they probably won't be bankrupt
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daveand42
May 11, 09 10:42 PM CDT
I forgive them. The grilled chicken is very good, much healthier, and long overdue. Reply
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IN RESPONSE:
laslow
May 12, 09 12:25 PM CDT
Yeah but it's KFC... They'll find some way to make it bad for you.
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