When it comes to QSRs, fries are as important as the main—the unsung hero of their meal. For fast food restaurants, the quality of fries can drive trial, bringing in new customers.

KFC’s problem? KFC fries sucked. This was a sentiment shared by most Canadians and a sentiment we needed to change. After 71 years of bad fries, KFC finally introduced New Seasoned Fries to Canada.

New tasty seasoning, a new fry container to improve crispiness, and a brand new low price for a limited time. Our objective was to convince Canadians to give our new fries a shot, even if they are a little jaded from our old ones.

Old KFC fries were so bad they needed to die.

So, before we said hello to the new fries, we were going to formally say goodbye to the old ones by holding the first-ever Fry Funeral. A real, solemn send-off and goodbye to the old, soggy, bland KFC fries.

Social listening was primarily used to identify and pinpoint the widespread dislike of KFC's fries. The target audience was Canadians who loved fries. They are not passive consumers. Instead, they are vocal fans who share their opinions, heavily influenced by social media buzz and online reviews.

The resoundingly negative consumer feedback around the old fries not only played a critical role in prompting KFC Canada to overhaul their fries, but it also shaped the campaign idea. Public demand for an end to the old fries showed a clear opportunity for KFC. But for KFC to have credibility when it comes to fries, it was necessary to not only unveil the new fries but also acknowledge its past shortcomings.

Our approach was that rather than shy away from this embarrassing reality, embrace it and signal the start of a new fry worthy of siding with KFC's beloved chicken.

This came to life with the construction of a Fry Coffin and a fully-realized funeral held at a real funeral home.

We live-streamed the funeral, complete with a eulogy and let the world send their regards. The Fry Coffin also made its way around the streets of Toronto in a KFC-branded hearse, starting at a KFC and ending at the funeral home itself. We captured bite-sized TikTok content promoting the end of the old fries and introducing the new ones.

Additionally, we used the funeral footage to create a TV spot that ended showcasing KFC's new fries. All of this came together in a fully integrated campaign that consisted of livestreaming on social, digital video, OOH, experiential and TV.

Our campaign became KFC's second biggest PR success ever globally, garnering over 3.7 billion impressions online thanks to the engaging social campaign. On TikTok alone, the videos amassed over 22 million views boosting social presence and followers. The Fry Funeral got people talking, resulting in 377% WOM exposure.

Additionally KFC saw a 8.6% jump in same-store sales—160% above forecasted growth—reversing declining transactions. Brand love shot up by 300%, showing the campaign shifted perception of not just the fries but the brand overall.

The Fry Funeral wasn’t just a campaign, it was the start of a new conversation about KFC’s fries.