A loved choice for all of those who look at tasty and affordable chicken is KFC ?
When you think KFC, you think red and white stripes, the great grandpa with that white beard and hair, a bucket of the best chicken, and finger-lickin’ good ?
But what makes you think of these factors ?⚪
The careful marketing and positioning strategies of KFC are what brand the fast food chain to be one of the most loved preferred burgers and chicken picks of the world. ?
If you are both a foodie and have an appetite for marketing at the same time, I’m sure you’re curious about how KFC is such a huge hit. ✔️
Well, let’s do something fun. Let’s brainstorm how KFC is so successful from a marketing point of view, shall we? ?
But first, some history ?
KFC’s History in Short
For starters, the person we see who is the face of KFC is Colonel Sanders. And he is the vision behind the beginning of KFC. KFC expanded as Kentucky Fried Chicken was a home-based startup started by Colonel Harland Sanders in Corbin, Kentucky.
Something that started as a humble being turned this individual into the face of fried chicken and a hit franchise all over the globe.
KFC’s finger-licking good strategy comes from the iconic heritage story of the Colonel creating a unique recipe with eleven herbs and a blend of multiple spices. ?
Harland first revealed this secret recipe to his friend Pete Harman who helped the Colonel open the first KFC franchise to come into existence. And that is precisely how the fast food franchise took off to lay its footprints in the global fried chicken business. ?
Quick Fact: KFC Corporation, incorporated in 1955, is the world’s largest fast-food chicken operator, developer, and franchiser. ⭐
Marketing strategies of KFC ➕
You have no doubt consumed KFC at least once in your lifetime ✔️ The brand, which is growing day by day and gaining a great reputation, has some golden tickets to marketing that are letting them gain great traction in the fast food industry. ?
Following are some of the metric-based strategies that are helping them grow expansively in the rapidly changing food industry ?
Promotional Strategies ?
Newspaper ads, television ads, and flyers are one of the primary strategies that KFC uses to promote and market its franchise and products.
They take a niche approach that works like a loudspeaker into customer success and retention strategy.
Do you want to know what are their bestselling products? Or do you want to know where the nearest KFC is present? ?
They publicize their fast, good products, collaborate with food delivery apps and platforms, and offer coupons and offers. Their offerings concerning free delivery, niche marketing strategies, and outlet guide are through these pamphlets.
People Segmentation ?
KFC’s primary segmentation is young people, and they believe that the young crowd that continues to consume fast food and subscribe to the fast food culture are the future permanent customers.
This tackles marketing on two fronts. Both based on product and based on value. This helped them. Thus their brand positioning is highly sustainable. ✅
Choice of product ?
Choice in their product is a great way to go about marketing in KFC. Though they market chicken and fried chicken on their menu, KFC provides vegetarian options that consumers can choose from. This gives buyers the power to purchase according to their needs and preference. Retention of customers through this nature of marketing is highly effective.
Imagine your favorite restaurant does not give you the choice of a vegetarian burger over a non-vegetarian one while you might be on a cutting-carbs day. Wouldn’t that lead to you not visiting them?
Service and product are a fundamental part of their marketing strategy.
Content and social media strategy ?
Social media is a pillar of great marketing. Good social media strategies, including ad campaigns, hashtags, and community engagement, are all great content and media strategy that keep most brands ahead of the curve.
Finger-lickin’ good is one such thing that KFC monetizes on. Ads and various social media strategies are constructed around this brand identity of theirs and the Colonel.
People are motivated to post their experiences and views of KFC with these hashtags and recognizable brand symbols, acting as great word-of-mouth marketing on social media.
Localized franchising ?
Being a multinational fast food chain, KFC’s presence is pinned in various countries all over the world. One actionable marketing strategy that they adopt from this is localized franchising and marketing.
Imagine KFC in Canada. Wouldn’t the people there want their burgers and food options more localized to their taste?
That is where KFC comes in. They personalize their product options and position their menu and campaigns most locally, thus creating effective marketing in that geographic segment.
KFC’s efficiency culture ?
Quick fact: It hardly takes 30.45 seconds for the orders to get assembled in the kitchens of KFC. Their order processing is highly efficient.
Imagine a perfect crisp burger being delivered to your tray within a minute. That is what KFC intends to do.
Great efficiency with a necessary and quick call to action is a marketing strategy that will never go wrong. Approximate estimates of order processing and actionable delivery, which is effective, are important ways to market your brand.
Top Products of KFC ?
- Popcorn Chicken
Popcorn chicken is one of the bestselling products that KFC offers on its menu. Customers often order this as it acts like the signature KFC dish.
- Rice Bowls
Rice bowls act as an all-encompassing meal with different elements. They contain rice, chicken, vegetables, and other elements in a nutritional sense.
- Hot Wings
Probably the second most popular dish after popcorn, chicken and hot wings are another customer favorite dish.
- Crispy Tenders
Crispy, tangy, and extremely delicious crispy tenders are great for those who have an appetite for chicken.
- Chicken Burgers
Chicken burgers are a staple KFC meal. With coleslaw and fries on the side, a meal for one’s best match is a chicken burger.
- Sides
KFC sides are phenomenal choices and are a preferred add-on to the meals you choose to have at KFC. Cannot go wrong with them sides!
- Chicken fingers
Another hit in the chicken department, classic chicken fingers that are crispy and live up to the tagline finger licking good!
- Kentucky Fried Wings
Wings are a preferred choice of delicacies at KFC. Kentucky fried wings are a staple KFC menu item.
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
Another side that is a great nutritious menu item is the mashed potatoes and gravy. Delicious and lip-smacking, this is another customer favorite.
- Secret Fries
Seasoned herbs and spices that are in the chicken and buckets are what are used to season the secret fries as well. Possibly the most delicious fries.
KFC Marketing Mix 4P Analysis
- Product ?
KFC’s product is their strong suit within their marketing mix. With multiple options both in the vegetarian and non-vegetarian menus, their product is a large part of what sells and how they become the preferred destination for everything fried chicken related.
- Place ?
KFC has a strong foothold in multiple geographical locations all over the world. They are present in various areas and tweak their menus and campaigns according to where they are present location-wise.
This makes them a preferred chain or franchise that values its different customer segments while retaining its consumer pool.
- Price ?
KFC has high profitability and great margins despite its affordable prices. Combination lunches and meals have a discount factor on them, and in price-sensitive countries like Asia and Africa, bundle rates and individual food prices are in line with the market rates.
- Promotion ?
KFC is known to have aggressive promotional and marketing strategies to remain a leader in the fast food franchising markets. A major portion of their promotional strategies is through televised campaigns, large newspaper ads, and billboards.
KFC is also known to have sponsored cricket matches and tournaments like the Australian Big Bash League.
Their tagline ‘its finger-lickin’ good’ also supplements their promotional strategies through a strong social media profile.
KFC’s Top Campaigns
KFC Hot And Spicy ?
A campaign that gained a lot of traction, this advertisement was popular for publicizing the hot and spicy products that were most popular. The campaign was a hit when it was televised, and multiple people subscribed to the idea of a great and tasty chicken experience.
It was a campaign that brought their spicy product line in a parallel sense to race cars and fuel-powered launches that positioned their products as chicken with great firepower.
https://www.ogilvy.com/work/hot-spicy
Spotify Playlist campaign ?
KFC once released a Spotify campaign that talked about the brand’s products and positioning through a Spotify campaign. This campaign was very much in line with the kind of social marketing that was trending and in place at the time.
It was an excellent move as it included songs from three decades ago. The playlist that had songs from Kendrick Lamar to old hip-hop hits catered to the marketing experiment.
Thus all customers from different segments were able to relate to the campaigns! Go check it out if you want to explore to see if your favorite hip-hop track made a list.
The ad you can see from the moon ?
There is a Colonel Sanders-shaped portrait in Nevada that can be seen from space. The Colonel Sanders picture was seen as an ultimate tribute to the brand’s visionary leader. This ad also appeared in a report that featured space-visible ads.
From the moon was a huge jump for the brand. It is not every day that we get to hear our neighborhood’s favorite fried chicken franchise can be spotted from someplace as far as the moon.
It is safe to say that – KFC was ‘over the moon’ with the kind of response this campaign brought in.
QUICK FACTS ?: KFC was initially known as Sanders Court & Cafe, and the Colonel makes appearances in 115 countries worldwide.
Key takeaway ?
We’ve thoroughly analyzed what it means for KFC to be the greatest in the fried chicken business.
From a small shop set up by a self-made entrepreneur to the second largest in the industry, they have truly made a mark.
And how!
KFC is a market leader when it comes to fast food franchises, and they are so due to their great promotional and marketing strategies. Their chicken recipe, which is still a secret, along with their good promotional campaigns, is what makes them the best in the fast food industry.
FAQs KFC Marketing Strategies
How successful is KFC?
Kentucky Fried Chicken, also known as KFC, is the world’s second-largest restaurant chain. They have operated successfully and made great profits over the last quarter.
How does KFC uniquely position itself?
Through their segmented targeting strategies and positioning of the product that is fried chicken in a smart way, KFC has carved out a niche for itself and is successful in being a great franchise option.
How did KFC sustain its growth over time?
By recognizing that the youth segment is the one including young adults that subscribe to the fast food culture and choosing them as a primary market, they ensure that these people are subscribing to the brand and the food they make. Successfully converting them from just customers to consumers.
Reference:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/KFC
https://www.textmetrics.com/interesting-facts-KFC
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/49838220
Keep Exploring. Don’t Miss Out The Following ? Articles
Similar Posts:
- Top 10 Restaurants in Kentucky
- 46 Trending #Poultry Hashtags for Social Media Marketing!
- Dominos Marketing Strategies: A Slice of Marketing Genius
- 301+ Food Blogger Bio to Make Your Own
- KFC – History, Brand Value, and Brand Strategy
“Business, marketing, and Branding – these three words describe me the best. I am the founder of Burban Branding and Media, and a self-taught marketer with 10 years of experience. My passion lies in helping startups enhance their business through marketing, Branding, leadership, and finance. I am on a mission to assist businesses in achieving their goals.”