Ruffles and KFC have come together to release a new collaboration that is sure to have snackers licking their fingers clean.

The collaboration sees the QSR “lending” its signature secret blend of herbs and spices to the snack food brand for the release of Ruffles’ KFC Original Recipe Chicken chips. The limited-time offer has rolled out nationally, and brings together “two big, iconic brands that have a legacy of launching innovative products that are full of crunch and mouthwatering taste,” says Laura Mallozzi, marketing manager for KFC Canada.

The collaboration is born out of the swell of demand both brands receive from consumers for innovative new flavours and formats, she adds.

“Consumers’ appetites for unique flavour combinations have never been higher, and we felt it was the perfect time to bring this taste collision to life,” says Lisa Allie, senior marketing director for PepsiCo Foods Canada, which owns the Ruffles brand. Evoking the QSR’s slogan, she adds, “there’s nothing more ‘finger-lickin’ good’ than combining Canada’s leading ridged chip Ruffles, with KFC’s iconic 11 herbs and spices.”

“We’re taking existing brand equities – on the KFC side, the Colonel’s secret original recipe, and on the Ruffles side, that rich crunch in the chip – and putting them in one, modern format for consumers by combining both equities into one epic product,” explains Mallozzi.

To promote the partnership, the brands ran a teaser campaign that included a digital OOH “leak” of direct messages between the two brands to tease that they’d be pairing up. Paid partnerships and an integrated media campaign across social and OOH further built hype for the launch of the product, with special deliveries to foodie influencers increasing the effort’s earned social impressions above 10 million.

Now, the product is available in stores and is being supported by an ample shopper-side effort including “a suite of tools that showcase the Ruffles brand while leaning into the iconic imagery of KFC,” according to Allie. These include four-foot headers, shelf hangers and displays with sidecars shaped like the KFC chicken bucket, Mallozzi notes, while select bag sizes have coupons for orders at KFC restaurants, “creating a holistic tie that brings you back to the KFC restaurant to enjoy that flavour again.”

Narrative handled creative, PR and influencers for the effort, while Wavemaker and OMD handled the media buy.