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On March 14, 2025, fast food company KFC released an ad in which a man is transformed into a piece of fried chicken and indoctrinated into a cult. The advertisement was launched as part of the brand's "Believe" campaign.
The clip, which was created by the creative firm Mother, is a sequel to a set of hypnotic, artificial intelligence-powered shorts that were published last month to promote the new Zinger Double Down burger.
For context, according to More About Advertising's March 14 report, the company's UK and Ireland CMO, Monica Silic, commented on the campaign, saying:
“The ‘Believe’ campaign is designed to entertain. It provides a break from the often chaotic or dull real world. It’s our way of sharing our absolute chicken obsession while offering our audience something fun they can believe in, amidst the noise.”
As the ad went viral on X, it sparked reactions from netizens who believed the brand was promoting cannibalism. Many users shared similar concerns, with one even questioning whether the brand was suggesting that human meat was in the chicken. One X user wrote:
“Sooo are they telling us there’s human meat in the chicken? Or there’s a cult who eats people?”
Others also reacted in a similar manner as one said that it's absolutely disgusting, while another claimed that they are flat out admitting to using human meat in chicken.
“KFC'S new commercial promotes cannibalism. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING!” said a user.
“It seems they are flat out admitting its human meat,” another one wrote.
“KFC is telling you what's really in your nuggets. Cannibalism is what they are making you do when you buy this sh*t,” said another user.
Others also echoed the same sentiment, calling the advertisement "weird" and "tasteless."
“KFC releases a commercial where they sacrifice a human and eat it…” speculated one user.
“This advert is far too weird for me. Dunking a live man in a lake then emerges as a piece of fried chicken, is sick. I’ll never eat chicken again,” stated one X user.
“The ad with respect is tasteless. What were kfc thinking of,” claimed another user.
KFC came up with a new ad one month after announcing their headquarters shift
As per Marketing Beat's March 14 report, this new two-minute KFC ad was an attempt to explore the "playful mythology" around the company's "passionate dedication" to chicken in greater detail.
As per the report, the ad will be a component of the current integrated campaign, which will also include PR, in-restaurant, out-of-home, and television advertising. Additionally, the report cited Mother ECD, Martin Rose, who said:
“KFC is an icon. All of our work respects that. It also respects the audience; they understand that logic is parked for 120 seconds as we go deep into the symbolism of total chicken obsession. It’s a playful escape from the world.”
Notably, the ad was launched one month after it was revealed that the company was moving its corporate office from Kentucky to Texas. On February 18, 2025, KFC announced in a press release that it would be moving its U.S. headquarters from Louisville, Kentucky, to Plano, Texas, requiring 100 employees to relocate within the next six months.
On the other hand, on March 18, 2025, Yum Brands, the parent company of Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Habit Burger & Grill, said in a press release that it is partnering with Nvidia to improve its artificial intelligence-powered technology at its restaurants. Soon, these restaurants will have voice-activated order-taking at drive-thrus.
The company further claimed that a number of AI-driven solutions will be implemented throughout Yum Brands stores in the upcoming months. Voice-activated order-taking AI is meant to improve accuracy and efficiency by managing call center operations and drive-thru orders.
Yum Brands also asserted that the company's decision to move the headquarters is part of a larger plan to eventually have two corporate headquarters: one in Plano and one in Irvine, California.
Meanwhile, the restaurant chain's representatives have yet to comment following the criticism of its recent ad.
