KFC presents the ‘Colonel Chronicles’ via Ogilvy
![The Colonel and uniform[1].jpg](http://campaignbrief.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/The Colonel and uniform[1]-thumb-300x168-38736.jpg)
KFC’s iconic founder Colonel Sanders today makes a return to the brand’s Australian marketing for the first time in 10 years, in a new cricket-focussed campaign developed by Ogilvy & Mather Sydney.
The ‘Colonel Chronicles’ campaign which launches today and comprises television, radio, online, on ground and in-store advertising, aims to reconnect consumers with KFC’s much-loved global icon while reinforcing its strong and ongoing sponsorship of Australian cricket.
KFC Marketing Director Rachel Ellerm said the return of the Colonel toKFC’s Australian marketing was “a highly strategic move for the brand”.
“The Colonel is a true modern legend, and he has strong heritage in ourbrand. We’re looking forward to introducing him to a new generation,while reigniting his appeal among those who remember him as a fun,loveable character that represents all that is KFC.”
Ogilvy Sydney’s Executive Creative Director Chris Ford said the campaign also marked a major creative step for KFC in Australia.
“There’s something loveable about a guy who dedicates his life tocreating the perfect piece of fried chicken. So when given theopportunity to pluck the iconic Colonel from the comforts of hisAmerican homeland and drop him into the equally iconic world ofAustralian cricket we all thought great, when do we start shooting?”
Ogilvy Sydney’s Managing Director Mike Daniels said the campaign wouldprimarily target males aged 18-29, and celebrate KFC’s long-standingrelationship with Australian cricket.
“KFC’s enduring association with Australian cricket has made the brandone of our best- loved sponsors,” he said. “It was important that wecreated a campaign that reflected the strong relationship between brandand sport while injecting some fun into its portrayal.
“So we’ve brought back the Colonel as an endearing character who ishumorously trying to embrace the culture of cricket. It aims to reflectthe fun of summer and the cricket, while giving consumers the chance tofall in love with the Colonel all over again.”
Several TVCs have been developed as part of the campaign, portrayingthe Colonel and cricket legend David Boon slurping a KFC ‘Krusher’ in apost-game ice-bath, and in his trademark white suit at the MCG admiringthe test-match uniforms.
He also replaces The Ashes with a drumstickafter spilling its contents in another creative execution, andinterrupts Australian fast bowler Doug Bollinger mid-stride with hisantics.
The TVCs will air on both free-to-air and pay-TV from today. Online andin-store activity also goes live this week, with radio executionsrunning on both metropolitan and regional stations.
53 Comments
Soooo bad
“The Colonel is a true modern legend, and he has strong heritage in our brand. We’re looking forward to introducing him to a new generation, while reigniting his appeal among those who remember him as a fun, loveable character that represents all that is KFC.”
Well, the first spot makes him look like an annoying twat and the second spot merely highlights the bizarre, incongruous nature of the sponsorship. Not looking forward to seeing these a thousand times this summer.
the devil’s work.
I don’t believe that Colonel Sanders decided to sponsor Cricket Australia because the players wear white, like he does.
I don’t believe it because he died in 1980.
At least when Burger King did this, they used a bizarre giant-headed man-thing, not an actor pretending to be the long-dead founder of KFC.
It’s just creepy and dumb.
OMG WTF.
Good work Trent. And even better work from Boris for getting his name on these.
“There’s something loveable about a guy who dedicates his life to creating the perfect piece of fried chicken.”
If by loveable you mean creepy, then you’re right on the money.
Oh dear, 4:08 even the great unwashed, brain-dead KFC-gorging cricket-loving yob public understand that the Colonel is long dead and that the white clothing gag is a (somewhat weak) joke. Is that your most erudite critique?
Hands down the worst thing I have ever seen. And I spent four years in Fritzl’s basement.
I’m very happy to know that I’ll never hear the old jingle ever again.
FUCK!!!!
How come the directing credits have changed already?
First Steve Saussey directed these, now some other people?
Feels like a classic “oh shit they PR’d it” moment.
He is proud to announce his first ad in a decade. Please be kind, he doesn’t do this very often. Plus there’s a new CD to impress, so play nice people.
And yes, that was my tongue firmly in my cheek before people start to get their knickers in a knot.
Like the road kill they sell, it was dead before the public got their hands on it.
Seriously, what the…?
And you’d think if you were gonna PR something you’d get your story straight about who’d done what. How many director’s does it take to screw half an idea?
sorry for going against the grain but do you people remember what the old kfc ads were like? some of the most bogan, dumbed down tv on air.
now think of hungry jacks, subway, red rooster, even most maccas ads…
these ads have lifted kfc’s bar off the ground. i bet it wasn’t easy. to those involved, keep fighting the good fight.
I could watch this again or I could get hit by a bus.mmmm
Is that Darren Wooley playing the Colonel?
not great but a big step up. i agree with 9:36.
“There’s something loveable about a guy who dedicates his life to creating the perfect piece of fried chicken.”
“It’s just not cricket without the Colonel.” And then they show the Colonel fucking cricket up. Howzat?
There’s nothing loveable about a guy who dedicates his life to creating the perfect piece of fried chicken.
This fat guy is gonna get on peoples nerves..first of all he’s American…secondly..he’s overweight from eating all that fried chicken. Thirdly he’s fronting some badly scripted ads whilst we watch our guys bash the Poms.
Dude, I know and grew up withe the Colonel and that ain’t that Colonel. That’s some slapstick Saussey version of the Colonel. I’m switching to Nandos.
These ads make absolutely no fucking sense…
It’s just not cricket without the Colonel fucking everything up?
Howzat?
The Colonel and the product are a perfect match……………..
I’ve got that feeling in my stomach that I usually get after eating KFC.
The Colonel comes across as a fat, dim witted twat. I’m sure he’d love this.
A major improvement on the previous work for this brand. No irritating gen Y kid and his mates jerking off over a bucket of chicken, while mum sighs in relief that she does have to cook. I like the creepy Colonel. Good work.
It’s not Michael Clarke playing the colonel is it?
All seems a bit self-conscious, in the same way that Telstra Xmas campaign is.
Somebody gotta grow some balls.
You’re right, Chris, it’s a major creative step alright. Backward. You might expect this kind of retail from O&M and certainly from KFC, but how could the production company let the star of their roster, do this kind of work?
Terrible. Except for Bill’s nose which rarely gets a shot on TV.
Better than the old stuff. Hopefully it will be better again.
Yeah. It’s not that bad, gets a laugh from me!
Two words. Mortgage payments.
Two mortgage payments, more like 😉
One word. Jealousy.
thanks for sticking this on the blog on a dreary friday afternoon. it really cheered up a lot of miserable creatives who thought what they were working on was crap until they stumbled across this deep fried turd…the colonel is good for morale after all
these are the worst ads i have ever seen in my life.
im not in advertising. i thought they were funny. i eat chicken. you people are knobs.
Well 4:07 that about sums it up doesn’t it, genius. Just wandered in off the internet to give us your two cents, did ya?
“I’m not in advertisin’, but I sure know what I like, chickin ‘n funny, ‘n callin’ people ‘knobs’, ’cause if there’s anythin’ I know a whole ute-load about, it’s knobs.”
Trouble finding your way home, Bogan? Get on the ANZAC Bridge and keep heading West. You’ll find yer kin eventually. Just look for the mullets, the pumped-up biceps, the faux Pac island ink, and the missing teeth. You’ll recognize your girl too. She’s the one with the nose pierced zircon and the hair spray sculpture perched on her melon.
On second thought, maybe these spots do have an audience, but who would have thought it was associated with cricket? Maybe V8 Supercars would be a bit more intuitive.
Who is the guy playing the colonel?
Nobody seems to want to admit to it …
Is this Erik Thompson, cause it sure looks like him?
Actor looks like Brent Spiner
The ads make the Colonel out to be an obnoxious turd. Doesn’t say much for the brand really.
I am a middle aged female and grew up in the 70s with the Colonel adds…I love seeing him re-invented. Many of the posts seem to be from those who love to over-analyze everything but their own achievements in life. Congrats to the team who put this together..don’t know if it is attracting your target audience as I don’t fall into that market, but seeing the adds has given me cravings for 2 piece meal if that is any satisfaction.
Dead certain that the Colonel is Michael Clarke
It’s about time the advertising world stopped taking things so seriously. I personally find cricket boring as grass growing and to have some light-hearted, silly ads on in between the stuff I am forced to watch by a cricket-loving husband, is very refreshing. What I’m really interested in is who is the actor?? Because he looks remarkably like Michael Clarke. Any ideas??? Andrrew could you answer this one, it’s bugging me??
im a male ilove kfc
It is michael clarke
The actor’s name is Troy Planet