Is it the times, or the colonel?

[Timsup2nothin]

KFC's has a new ad campaign once again featuring Colonel Sanders himself. I dunno who is old enough to remember the old KFC ads with Colonel Sanders, but I thought they were great. The Colonel had his "secret recipe", but seemed like a terrific sort of grandfather figure and all was well.

This new Colonel, whether he is talking about the secret recipe or whatever else they have him pitching, strikes me completely wrong, like when he says he has a 'secret' he is thinking it might be good bait for luring a little girl into a van.

Is this a bad choice of colonel, or have times changed so much that a guy in a white suit with a white beard is just automatically creepy, or maybe it's all in my head and this ad campaign is fine...

Any opinions?

 

[GoodSarmatian]

Is he a real colonel ? Does he have to be a real colonel ?
How thorough are y'all muricans with your militarism ? Is the Burger King expected to personally lead cavalry charges ?

Edit: Forgot to mention that that beard is one of the creepiest beard styles known to man.

 

[Perfection]

holy hell it's Darrell Hammond

 

[Timsup2nothin]

holy hell it's Darrell Hammond

You're right!

 

[BvBPL]

The new spokesman lacks the gravitas of the old one. He's too self-consciously humorous.

 

[warpus]

I think what they're going for is: "Those people who are really into fried chicken won't care how stupid the commercial is, we just want them to remember that we exist and offer decent fried chicken options at an affordable price point." and "Everybody else who forgot we exist or isn't really obsessed with fried chicken, but might eat fast food occasionally, let's give them something stupid to talk about."

 

[BvBPL]

The focus on the chicken is interesting. A few years ago Kentucky Fried Chicken changed their name to KFC. Now the ad ends w/ a billboard that says "KFC, Kentucky Fried Chicken."

Personally, I'm a Crown / Kennedy Fried Chicken myself, at least when I don't fry my chicken at home.

 

[Formaldehyde]

The old one died or got too old. Stuff happens.

I didn't even realize there was a new one until you mentioned it.


Link to video.

And that he isn't nearly as lovable before appears to be quite intentional.

KFC likes that you hate the new Colonel Sanders because at least you're feeling something

Like the Walter Whites, Don Drapers and other brooding semi-villainous protagonists now commonplace in the modern TV drama, Colonel Sanders 2.0 isn't meant to be liked. Colonel Sanders, who once would have invited you to enjoy his favorite spiced fried chicken with all the hospitality in the world, does not need your approval.

KFC recently debuted a reincarnation of its founder Colonel Harland Sanders in the form of a cackling Darrell Hammond to decidedly mixed reactions on social media.

Around one in five people are not fans of the chicken chain's new mascot, Greg Creed, CEO of KFC parent company Yum! Brands, admitted during a conference in New York this week, according to Food Business News.

But Creed isn't sweating the haters — in fact, he welcomes them. So long as people are abuzz about the poultry-shilling spokesman, it doesn't particularly matter whether they love him or loathe him, he said.

"I am actually quite happy that 20% hate it, because now they at least have an opinion," Creed said. "They’re actually talking about KFC, and you can market to love and hate; you cannot market to indifference you can market to love and hate; you cannot market to indifference."

Creed's comments speak volumes to those suspicions that always arise whenever brands roll out enigmatic advertising ploys or campaigns in questionable taste—that in the age of Big Viral, marketers deliberately sow controversy, confusion or ridicule to get people stirred up about a product.

 

[gay_Aleks]

I thought it was Colonel Bernie Sanders at first.

I wonder how well would that have went out

 

[Zkribbler]

Holy this guy is creepy! What were they thinking?!

The original was indeed a kindy grandfather figure. He was a "southern colonel," i.e. a rich southern white guy. He started his company using only his social security benefits. [With today's benefits, one can barely buy a bucket of KFC chicken.]

BTW: Decades ago my brother lived in Hawaii. He had a friend who, not only looked like The Colonel, but dressed like him as well, including the white goatee. He'd walk into Honolulu's finest restaurants and ask for a table.
"Do you have a reservation?"
"Oh. I didn't know I needed one."
"That's okay, Colonel. Right this way!"