KFC Has a SNL Star Play Colonel Sanders in Its Celebrity Commercials
Cadhla Gray — August 19, 2015 — Lifestyle
References: adweek & businessinsider
KFC is keeping viewers intrigued and on their toes with clever celebrity commercials. The fast food chain is following the lead of other successful campaigns that have used celebrities to garner more attention for brands. This time, KFC called upon Saturday Night Live veteran Norm Macdonald to replace another SNL personality who was just starring in their ads, Darrell Hammond.
KFC is creating a storyline with these ads, having celebrities take on the role of Colonel Sanders. Essentially, the new ads claim that Hammond was an impostor and that Macdonald (the "real Colonel Sanders") is here to rectify the situation. Though that is the narrative, the ads use humor and sarcasm, emphasizing that while this Colonel looks nor sounds anything like the original Colonel, he is of course the real deal.
The celebrity commercials are meant to continue to try to polarize viewers on the ad campaign itself. The CEO of KFC's parent company explains, "You can market to love and hate; you cannot market to indifference."
KFC is creating a storyline with these ads, having celebrities take on the role of Colonel Sanders. Essentially, the new ads claim that Hammond was an impostor and that Macdonald (the "real Colonel Sanders") is here to rectify the situation. Though that is the narrative, the ads use humor and sarcasm, emphasizing that while this Colonel looks nor sounds anything like the original Colonel, he is of course the real deal.
The celebrity commercials are meant to continue to try to polarize viewers on the ad campaign itself. The CEO of KFC's parent company explains, "You can market to love and hate; you cannot market to indifference."
Trend Themes
1. Celebrity Commercials - Disruptive innovation opportunities may arise from incorporating popular celebrities into advertising campaigns to attract more attention and engagement.
2. Storytelling Ads - Opportunities for disruptive innovation exist in creating narrative-driven commercials like KFC's celebrity mascot ads to captivate viewers and build brand affinity.
3. Humor and Sarcasm - Integrating humor and sarcasm in commercials, as seen in KFC's ads, can be a disruptive innovation strategy to create memorable and shareable content.
Industry Implications
1. Fast Food - The fast food industry can explore disruptive innovation by leveraging celebrity endorsements and engaging storytelling in their commercials.
2. Advertising - There are disruptive innovation opportunities in the advertising industry by incorporating humor and sarcasm to create intriguing and memorable campaigns.
3. Entertainment - Opportunities for disruptive innovation in the entertainment industry involve cross-promoting TV personalities and brands in commercial advertisements, like KFC's use of SNL stars.
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