KFC in worldwide seach for new face

17 Jun 2009

Kentucky Fried Chicken, US wants a new face for the brand. To promote its new grilled recipe, KFC has teamed up with MySpace to conduct a worldwide search for the ultimate Kentucky Grilled Chicken fan.
 
The grand prizewinner will have a chance to become the face of the brand alongside the iconic colonel, who has represented KFC for more than 65 years.

Those interested can submit a video that demonstrates why they deserve the honour at www.myspace.com/unthinkfc, where they will vie for the title of the ultimate grilled chicken fan.

"With the launch of our second secret recipe, we're encouraging all chicken lovers, grilled and fried, to showcase why they are the ultimate Kentucky Grilled Chicken fan and should be the new face of Kentucky Grilled Chicken," said Javier Benito, executive vice president of marketing and food innovation for KFC, in a statement.

The winner will receive a lifetime supply of grilled chicken, valued at more than $13,000, awarded in the form of KFC gift checks. They will also have a chance to represent the brand and appear in future advertisements for the 15,000-unit chain.

Draftfcb is the agency behind its current "Unthink KFC" ad campaign.  KFC's new ''UnThink KFC'' initiative is a web-based user-generated content campaign to push the company's new grilled balanced lifestyle items. The microsite offers a fun way for users to get involved in the brand as well as a source of nutritional information.

The objective of the campaign was to show the other side of KFC that isn't fried.

Three finalists will be revealed on July 25, and viewers can begin watching their videos and casting their votes on Aug. 1.

Parent company Yum! Brands spent $290 million on media behind the brand in 2008, per Nielsen. It spent $71 million in the first quarter of this year