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🍗 The 2025 KFC Ad That’s Creeping Everyone Out — And Why It’s Franchise Marketing Genius

Updated: Apr 1

KFC Draws Gen Z Into Its Strange New Ritual—And Embraces the Controversy



In a mystical woodland, a devoted group reveres fried chicken and gravy as sacred — brought to life by KFC and agency Mother.
In a mystical woodland, a devoted group reveres fried chicken and gravy as sacred — brought to life by KFC and agency Mother.

What in the Name of Chicken is Going On?


If you’ve seen KFC’s 2025 ad—or more likely, stumbled across the flood of TikTok reactions—you’re probably asking yourself one of two questions: “What did I just watch?” or “Is this brilliant or blasphemous?” Either way, the franchise's campaign has become one of the most polarizing—and talked-about—fast food advertisements in recent memory.

Released on KFC’s official YouTube channel, the 90-second ad dives headfirst into the surreal. It ditches buckets and fries for dark forests, golden eggs, ritualistic dancing, and yes—a man being baptized in gravy and emerging as a KFC chicken wing. It ends with the haunting line: "Believe in Chicken."


Who is Paying for the Ads?


According to KFC's 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to contribute to the National Co-Op for all advertising-related costs. As of November 2022, the National Co-Op established a national advertising contribution rate of 4.5%. This means on top of royalties, franchisees are paying 4.5% of gross revenue back to KFC to fund campaigns like this.



Scene by Scene: A Surrealist Breakdown

  • A lone man walks through a shadowy forest.

  • A chicken peeks from behind a tree... then transforms into a woman.

  • A coat floats down from the sky and drapes over her.

  • Others descend from trees and encircle the duo.

  • A golden egg appears. Music turns tribal. The group dances in sync.

  • The man and woman float above the crowd.

  • They approach a lake of gravy. She wades in, holding him like a sacrificial lamb.

  • She dips him in. He reemerges—not as a man—but as a glistening, perfectly sauced chicken wing.

  • Text on screen: Believe in Chicken.

A fever dream? A metaphor? A PR stunt? According to the internet—it’s all three.



Three Camps of Interpretation


1. The Cannibalism Theorists

Some viewers claim the ad subtly hints at human meat being used in KFC products. Far-fetched? Sure. But that hasn’t stopped TikTokers from drawing comparisons to the 1973 dystopian classic Soylent Green, where a company feeds people “plankton-based” food that turns out to be—you guessed it—humans.

“That man turned into chicken. That woman was the chicken. We’re the meal.” – TikTok comment with over 200,000 likes

2. The Religious Alarmists

The ad's baptism-like imagery hit a nerve among many in the Christian community. Some likened the gravy lake to a perversion of the holy rite of baptism—traditionally symbolizing death to sin and resurrection in Christ. Here, it’s a death to humanity and resurrection as... fried poultry?

“That’s not symbolism. That’s sacrilege.” – @TruthinFaith on Twitter

The Eden-like forest, the golden egg as rebirth, the transformative dipping—none of it sat well with devout viewers. Some called it a mockery of Easter. Others called for a boycott.


3. The Marketing Geniuses

Among branding pros and media analysts, the ad is being hailed as a masterclass in virality.

  • It broke every fast food marketing convention.

  • It leaned into surrealism and absurdity.

  • It sparked global conversation and memes.

KFC's YouTube channel is monetized. The ad gained millions of views within days. Whether people loved or hated it—they watched. And that’s the name of the game in brand marketing.


Woman triumphantly emerges from gravy lake in KFC's ad.
Woman triumphantly emerges from gravy lake in KFC's ad.

Marketing Lessons We Can All Take Away

  • Controversy = Conversation: As long as it's not illegal or unethical, a little chaos can go a long way.

  • Symbolism Moves People: Religion, myth, rebirth—this ad pressed subconscious buttons.

  • Digital First Strategy: TikTok, YouTube, and reaction videos turned this into a cultural moment.

  • Monetize the Moment: Even backlash gets ad revenue.


 Final Take: Creepy, Yes. Clever? Absolutely.

Whether you saw it as offensive, artistic, or just plain weird, one thing’s clear: KFC’s 2025 ad campaign worked. It stirred the pot, made headlines, and got everyone—from pastors to marketing professors—talking about chicken.

In the ever-crowded fast food space, that's not just bold. It's brilliant.


I mean... I am taking my time to write about it!

 
 
 

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