KFC Canada fed into an NHL fan frenzy and drew the attention of hockey broadcasters across North America last week after overhauling its iconography to temporarily replace Colonel Sanders with Jets star Kyle Connor. The multilayered fan-interaction event almost never got off the ground.

Creatives at the QSR’s agency of record Courage were watching nervously as the final seconds of the Jets’ first-round series with the St. Louis Blues were winding down on May 4.

Winnipeg had won the Presidents’ Trophy, awarded to the team with the NHL’s best regular-season record, but were struggling mightily against the underdog St. Louis Blues and trailing late into the Game 7.

An order to print 10,000 chicken buckets with the likeness of Connor – affectionately known in Winnipeg as “Kyle F—ing Connor,” or “KFC” – was already in place with the expectation the Jets would advance.

By the grace of the hockey gods, a tying goal with seconds left and an eventual overtime game winner gave Winnipeg fans – along with the Courage team and KFC marketers – a moment of euphoric relief.

The Jets would move on and the KFCxKFC collaboration also had new life.

“We had this idea brewing before the playoffs commenced and had to make key decisions not knowing what the outcome would be,” Courage creative director Hemal Dhanjee tells strategy. “Then came the nail-biter in Game 7, the Winnipeg Jets tying the game with just 1.6 seconds, sending us to two overtime periods. Thankfully, Winnipeg clinched the win and took us to the next round, perfectly aligning with the arrival of our freshly printed buckets.”

The QSR overhauled its signage at 1275 Portage Ave. to reflect the Connor-themed rebrand as the Jets advanced to Round 2 against the Dallas Stars.

“We pride ourselves on our bold nature and willingness to take big swings to better connect with our communities,” says Lauren Pottie, senior manager of media, partnerships and regional marketing at KFC Canada. “When we saw the fans already modifying our buckets with Kyle’s face, we wanted to tap into this fandom by offering an official take on the bucket hat and explore what KFCxKFC would look like beyond that … to represent KFC’s commitment to this market, as well as one that Kyle himself is proud of.”

KFC also partnered with local celebrity Tyler Carr, food influencers WPG Eats, and YouTube channel The Hockey Guys to further feed off of the excitement of the playoff run and funnel fans toward gameday offers. The campaign’s presence in and around the games included contextual billboards activated after wins, in-arena placements and a Colonel Sanders mascot in attendance at Canada Life Centre.

Narrative XPR worked on PR, social-media and influencer activations, while McCann and IPG Mediabrands’ Team Accelerate handled paid media for the brand collaboration that went on to be featured on Sportsnet, ESPN playoff broadcasts and by popular hockey personality Paul Bissonnette.

Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham even got in on the action.

“Not every Jets fan could be in the arena, so we made sure the campaign lived beyond it,” Courage creative director Steve Ierullo tells strategy. “Every touchpoint worked together to bring fans into the experience. Making them feel part of the story wasn’t a bonus, it was the point.”

Pottie says further KFC-Connor collaborations depends on how far the club advances, but that the alternative branding at 1275 Portage Ave will remain in place for the duration of Winnipeg’s postseason run. The Jets currently trail their second-round series with the Stars after a 3-1 loss on Tuesday night.

“The wonderful thing about the playoffs is its unpredictable nature. We are proud of how well our presence has been received and will continue to have a focused presence in the market,” Pottie says. “We are committed to creating unforgettable experiences for fans and celebrating the passion that brings the community together. This partnership has just started to take off and we’re excited to see where the playoffs and next season takes us.”