As Liz mentioned, I agree the Colonel’s image has different meanings to different generations. Just like KFC doesn’t mean anything more than “KFC” to the younger generation, Colonel Sanders looks like he could be anyone’s sweet old grandfather. Images of eating dinner at grandma and grandpa’s house come to mind for me. The opportunity to expand their menu in a whole new way, while not losing their identity, was missed.

If they want to market their new grilled chicken to a new generation, economic value and fun are what they should be looking at. Mom and Dad will take the kids there if they can afford to. Once they are there, make sure they have fun. As silly as they are, my daughter just loves that box lunch kids meal they have. The fruit roll-up dessert just does it for her. The kids never seem to tire of those little toys either.

Also, get rid of the pathetic overhead music and get something fun. Old static-y “mom & dad” radio stations just don’t cut it. Get some music that isn’t older than the customers. If you want kids in your restaurant, play something they can relate to. Mix some Hannah Montana and Jonas Brothers in there somewhere.

KFC’s recent Oprah marketing debacle was indeed sad. It’s hard to imagine no one in the company saw that coming! The scenes of half of America trying to get free chicken from a bunch of poor frazzled restaurant employees turned me off. It was even sadder because of the economic timing. It reminded me of pictures from the great depression where people lined up at free soup kitchens. I just didn’t want to be a part of it at all. It will stand as the biggest marketing blunder of the 21st century (so far).

Like I said above, I’m not a professional. I eat too much fast food, so I see a lot of ways the experience could be improved. Please don’t take my opinion for any more than the $.02 it is worth.

Curt

1. Wear out factor – When I was at Quaker Oats, we tried hard to quantify when an ad or promotion has become “tired” and unfortunately, we never found a perfect answer. We simply started to look at recall rates, unaided awareness and of course sales. If a promotion was still bringing in the business, it is still working and shouldn’t be pulled.

2. Colonel Sanders – As many folks mentioned, the newer generation actually doesn’t know what KFC stands for. By the same token, I never saw the Colonel as racist. Rather, I saw him as a sweet, friendly fellow – perfect traits for a mascot.

3. Grilled Chicken – I haven’t tried it yet, but I still have my Oprah coupon! I agree that offering a healthy option is a noble goal; time will tell how many eaters actually pass up the fried chicken for the grilled.

Actually, I agree with you about the Colonel’s “image”. And we didn’t even get into PETA’s issues with KFC’s supposed animal cruelty.

Thanks for your comment–it raised some great points and furthered our branding discussion!
Heather

As for everyone wanting to know what the letters stand for, I offer this: We got KFC for dinner a couple weeks ago. My eight-year-old daughter, suddenly cognizant of the fact that those letters must stand for something, asked, “What does KFC mean?” When I explained it, she simply said, “Oh.” and walked away. The letters meant nothing to her, and I submit they will mean nothing to her entire generation, as they grow up with “KFC’” vs. “Kentucky Fried Chicken.”

Finally, I believe KFC’s grilled chicken will turn out to be their “New Coke.” Truly, the Colonel is spinning in his grave!

*No offense intended IN ANY WAY in this post.

Because of this, I have a hard time knowing how long to keep an ad or promotion going. Any tips on gauging this?