The Objective
Driving demand for the best chicken sandwich ever
When the world's most famous fried chicken brand launches the best chicken sandwich ever, it better be memorable. With an already active and engaged customer base on TikTok, KFC looked to expand their KFC Chicken Sandwich advertising campaign to the wider community to create demand in a fun and unforgettable way.
The Solution
Collaborating with popular TikTok creators
KFC wanted to show up big to generate mass awareness and demand around its new chicken sandwich. To ensure it drove the highest impact possible, KFC anchored its campaign with two TopView ads. TopView is TikTok's largest billboard. It’s the first video users see when they open the app, making it an ideal choice for bigger launch moments.
This campaign was KFC's first in the US, so they worked with TikTok creators to authentically bring their TopViews to life. Lili Hayes , the internet's favorite granny, led the way. She headlined KFC's first TopView , impersonating Colonel Sanders as she took viewers through the sandwich's tasty features and ingredients. The boisterous 73-year-old's snarky charm was on full display, making it near-impossible to scroll past. Lili also created a series of TikToks as she promoted the bigger, crispier, better-than-ever KFC Chicken Sandwich to her audience of 4.4 million.
Following up on Lili’s TopView, KFC later ran a second TopView with DJ Dillon Francis. Decked out in the Colonel's signature white mustache and hair, Dillon remixed Lili's original sound and video in his TikTok. He also separately introduced the KFC Chicken Sandwich with a series of In-Feed Ads.
KFC extended the reach of the creators' TikToks by using Spark Ads. Spark Ads can help brands show up authentically by leveraging and amplifying creators' content. They combine the power of organic TikToks with targeting capabilities, optimization objectives, and measurement across reservation and auction ads.
To inspire creativity and create continuity between participating TikTok creators, KFC used fun campaign tiebacks like our native Duets feature. Duets allows users to record their video alongside the original as it plays. TikTok creator Lubalin , known for an uncanny ability to turn random internet drama into songs, got in on the fun with an In-Feed Ads Duet. His catchy jingle introduced and tastefully described the KFC Chicken Sandwich to his 3.4 million followers. Lili Hayes later shared the Duet to her account, appearing side-by-side with Lubalin, making her presence known as she brought the campaign full circle.
Finally, a chicken sandwich can't be the best ever without satisfied customers. So KFC worked with TikTok to identify notable and diverse niche creators to amplify the campaign and drive awareness as a #satisfiedcustomer . Creators like @mmmjoemele , @bowtieinchicago , and @skaijackson got in on the crispy action. The creators' In-Feed Ads tied back to Lili's, while their unique personalities came to life in ways that felt native to the platform. To further the reach, KFC amplified the creators' TikToks with Spark Ads to get the word out about the best chicken sandwich ever.
The Results
Mouth-watering success
The campaign was more than a flash in the fryer. The humorous and engaging videos from Lili Hayes and other creators amassed 221 million video views and 259 million impressions. The campaign also delivered significant interaction, with an overall engagement rate of 9.3%.
A few user comments from Lili Hayes's TopView ad
By partnering with TikTok creators and running a combination of TopView and Spark Ads, KFC created the awareness, buzz and demand it was after. The TopView ads reached 44 million people, with a 13.8% click-through rate to the website where TikTokers could order the KFC Chicken Sandwich for pickup or delivery. And with a strong +24.7% ad recall rate overall, the campaign drove notable sandwich sales in stores. They even sold out at many locations — a finger-lickin-good success!
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