Because the toothless goon is synonymous with hockey, KFC Canada is honouring the sport’s culture by removing Colonel Sanders chicklets.
In what KFC’s “hockey makeover,” the QSR and agency partner Courage covering the Colonel’s two two front to demonstrate the brand’s commitment to the Canadian pastime its accompanying traits of grit and toughness.
Associated creative features security-camera footage following a restaurant worker as he modifies a KFC bucket with a marker, with the tagline coda, “smile, it’s hockey season.”
“Hockey is one of Canada’s great unifiers, and this campaign lets us show up for fans in an unexpected but impactful way, that Courage helped bring to life,” says Azim Ahktar, interim CMO at KFC Canada. “The Colonel wearing a hockey smile isn’t just a clever creative idea – it’s a lasting symbol of how deeply we’re embracing the culture this season, and how closely KFC and hockey are aligned.”
“The brilliance of this idea is in its simplicity,” added Joel Hotby, founder and co-CCO at Courage. “We tapped into something instantly recognizable and undeniably hockey, while keeping it unapologetically KFC. It’s a small change to an iconic face, but it makes a massive cultural statement, the brand isn’t just sponsoring the game, it’s part of it.”
The Colonel’s grin has been extended across multiple touchpoints including store signage, buckets, packaging, OOH, social, rink boards, jumbotron footage and sponsor segments.
UM is behind the buy.
Earlier this year, the QSR tapped into NHL fandom by overhauling its iconography in Winnipeg to temporarily replace Colonel Sanders with Jets star Kyle Connor. It also produced custom KFConnor chicken-bucket helmets as part of the playoff-season stunt.
