LOUISVILLE, Ky., May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- It's
time to celebrate what makes Kentucky Fried
Chicken® so damn special—finger lickin'
good® Original
Recipe® chicken, of course!
Seventy-five years ago a feisty 65-year-old chicken salesman
(once a farmhand, an army mule-tender, a locomotive fireman, an
aspiring lawyer, an insurance salesman, an amateur obstetrician, a
political candidate and a ferryboat entrepreneur, among other
professions) set out to give his neighbors the best fried chicken
out there. A decade later that secret recipe and his finger lickin'
good® fried chicken made Colonel Sanders one of the most
recognizable men in the world.
"One of things that kept me going in those days was the
conviction that my Kentucky Fried Chicken®
was good—good for the restaurant owner and doggone good for the
people who ate it."
—Colonel Sanders, 1974
"Colonel Harland Sanders' iconic
legacy and world-famous Original Recipe®
chicken are what set Kentucky Fried
Chicken® apart from the rest. His
entrepreneurial spark and unrelenting appreciation for hard work,
philanthropy and showmanship (or what he called 'a little
Colonel-ing') are exemplary of the 'American Dream,'" said
Kevin Hochman, chief marketing
officer for KFC US. "We want to remind today's hardworking folks
that his passion, dedication and famous secret blend of 11 herbs
& spices are alive and well across our 4,300 restaurants in the
US."
In honor of this momentous anniversary, KFC is reintroducing the
brand's greatest asset—the Colonel himself—by bringing his
down-home values and recipe for the world's tastiest chicken to
life via web, broadcast, social media and in-store experiences.
We're rollin' out the changes online with a new and improved
KFC.com and reinvented ColonelSanders.com. The latter will feature
a mighty fine look at the various stages of the Colonel's life via
the Hall of Colonels, a new interactive digital experience that
tells his story from rural farmer to small-town lawyer to
gun-fightin' gas station owner to fried chicken connoisseur and
philanthropist.
Television commercials will kick off May
25 and put the Colonel (portrayed by stand-up comedian,
impressionist and "Saturday Night Live" alum Darrell Hammond) front and center. The spots
will playfully explore the juxtaposition between the Colonel's
heyday and modern culture.
"In my line of work I've been able to do impressions of a lot of
interesting people. But Colonel Sanders? He was a really
fascinating guy. His lifelong entrepreneurial spirit and integrity
are two things that drew me to him. He never gave up. It's an honor
to bring to life such an iconic figure…and it doesn't hurt that KFC
is paying me in chicken (which, at the time, sounded like a good
idea because I was very hungry that day)," Darrell Hammond notes.
The new KFC experience doesn't end there, folks. Customers will
taste the changes too, thanks to some new, innovative, lip-smackin'
menu items—namely, the Finger Lickin'
Good® sauce, made with Original
Recipe® seasoning to complement the flavor
of America's favorite fried chicken. And don't think they forgot
the packaging! KFC meals will don newly designed buckets, bags,
boxes and more, all reflecting the brand's distinctive style.
And, let's face it, the Colonel's style was one of a kind.
KFC restaurants are undergoing changes as well, with a fancy
redesign rolling out at restaurants across the country during the
next few years. And if you've been to the Hikes Point, Louisville, Ky. or Las Vegas, Nev. locations, then you have had a
sneak peek. Hikes Pointers were the first to see the new digs,
which bring to life the brand's values while honoring the man who
made it all happen: Colonel Sanders. And just like his memorable
white suit and ribbon tie, KFC's new design is iconic and
distinctive, conveying originality, reputation for quality and,
most importantly, showmanship.
Reflecting on all of the changes the brand is about to unveil,
Hochman stated, "The Colonel has always been at the core of
everything we do here at Kentucky Fried
Chicken®. The 75th Anniversary is the
perfect time to give him back to the people and remind everyone of
what we're all about."
For access to advertising video assets, archival images, new
packaging and store design photos and more, visit our media
microsite, kfc.emanate.hosting
About KFC
KFC Corporation, based in Louisville,
Ky., is the world's most popular chicken restaurant chain.
KFC specializes in Original Recipe®, Extra Crispy™, Kentucky
Grilled Chicken®, Extra Crispy™ Tenders,
KFC Go Cup®, Famous
Bowl®, pot pies, freshly made chicken
sandwiches, biscuits and home-style side items. There are more than
19,400 KFC outlets in 120 countries and territories around the
world. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc.,
Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM). For
more information, visit www.kfc.com. Follow KFC on Facebook
(www.facebook.com/KFC) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/kfc).
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SOURCE KFC Corporation