KFC Donates One Million Pieces of Chicken in Response to Covid-19
With the outbreak of Covid-19, KFC wanted to remind consumers that they are open for business and ready to serve their communities. KFC had previously made a significant donation to its corporate charitable partner, Blessings in a Backpack, but the company also wanted to contribute in another bigger, more meaningful way.
Locally-owned KFC restaurants were already directly making a difference in their communities by donating meals to essential workers and vulnerable populations. Our goal was to brainstorm solutions that would celebrate these local-level givebacks and would also gain favorable media coverage nationally.
The result was a program called "Feeding Our Communities," in which headquarters shipped each KFC U.S. restaurant an additional case of chicken at no cost, with the stipulation that the chicken must be cooked and given away to those in need in the local community within one month鈥攁n amount that equated to, 1 million pieces of chicken for good.
STRATEGY AND EXECUTION
We concepted the idea and then worked in conjunction with the KFC Corporate team and several key franchisees to refine and action it.
In collaboration with KFC, we developed press materials within 48 hours of receiving final approvals on the idea from KFC Corporate.
The idea serves as an ongoing news engine. We are now leveraging the unique ways KFC franchisees are sharing the chicken for l storytelling opportunities.
This earned-media focused concept not only amplified the work that the franchisees were doing in their communities, it also enabled us to highlight the fact that the vast majority of KFC restaurants are locally owned and operated.
KFC is a community-minded organization that puts their consumers and franchisees first. To stay true to that throughout the "Feeding Our Communities" campaign, we had the franchisees chose where their chicken donations would go, based on what would resonate most in their local communities.
Importantly, KFC would also not place any additional burden, operationally or financially, on the franchisees who were already experiencing hardship due to Covid-19.
OUTCOMES
Positive coverage for KFC's announcement has appeared in numerous top tier media publications such as, The Tonight Show, People.com, CNN Business, AdAge, PR Week, Delish, BrandChannel, FoxNews.com, Forbes and Eater.
Earned Totals (online, broadcast, and press release):
- 207 Articles
- 357,045,475 Impressions
Social Media Totals:
- 386 posts
- 10,246,110 impressions