2023 Winner
Best of Show
GoldBest in Brand Integration
BronzeBest in Experiential/Stunts - Budget Under $100,000
BronzeBest in Niche Targeting
BronzeBest Disruption
KFC
"Street Fighter"
Courage / Wavemaker
"Street Fighter"
Courage / Wavemaker
Gaming is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and every brand wants a piece. But while big brands pay their way into the gaming culture through expensive partnerships and in-game promotions, not many are able to find cheap and innovative ways to create lasting brand connections. So, while brands like Onitsuka Tiger and Chipotle paid to be official sponsors of “Street Fighter” 6, KFC hacked its way into the game for $0.
Knowing that the majority of gamers like to share clips of gameplay on social, they knew platforms like Twitch, Twitter and Instagram would be their battleground for success. So, they incentivized gamers by asking them to screen record themselves using the Chef Colonel Sanders avatar, do a combo, and tag ‘@kfc_canada’ for the colonel’s original recipe chicken. The harder the combo, the better the deal.
To launch the campaign, they pushed sponsored ads on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube sharing their recipe code, inciting Canadians to play as Chef Colonel himself. In just 2 hours, it became KFC’s single most shared video, with thousands of people reacting to the Street Fighterized version of Colonel Sanders with comments like: “Chef Sanders is deezed!,” “KFC just hadoukened the internet,” and even tagging famous celebrities that he resembled, like Seth Rogen and Guillermo Del Toro.
The campaign quickly picked up PR, getting the attention of prominent gaming publications like IGN, BRgaming, Nerdist, and CGMagazine – prompting Twitch streamers to download the recipe and turn combos into combos. Some even used “Street Fighter” 6’s intricate wardrobe selection to create their own versions of the Colonel, showing that KFC is in on gaming culture.
“PepsiCo deepens soccer ties with EA Sports partnership” – Marketing Dive
“LVMH Is Extends Partnership With Epic Games” – Forbes
“Chipotle announces promo with Campcom’s Street Fighter” – Sportskeeda
These are just some examples of brands buying their way into multi-million dollar gaming franchises. While these are no different than other sponsorships in sports or entertainment, they lack a key ingredient in winning the loyalty of gamers – authenticity. Just this year, a panel at The Drum described the current state of game sponsorships as “sloppy brand partnerships that happen as a result of lack of information or strategy, or both.”
While there’s no cheat sheet for getting it right, brands need to remember that gaming is a community, not a channel. But, when done right, brand integrations can be embraced and even add value to the community. This is where ‘KFC x “Street Fighter” serves as an innovative example of how to earn the respect of your audience without paying a million dollar price tag.
Infiltrating “Street Fighter” 6 was a low-budget way to build buzz and reinforce KFC’s most distinctive asset, making Colonel Sanders a part of pop culture with avid gamers who seek out code reveals and thrive on finding creative ways to experience their favourite game.
While KFC has a certain nostalgia for older generations in Canada, it was clear that they needed to tap into pop culture to truly resonate with young adults. Their strategy? Enter the gaming space. And that wasn't going to be a traditional ad buy, so they had to engage with gamers in a real way.
With a whopping $16,135,600 in Earned Media Value (EMV), KFC showcased its vast impact and reach. Moreover, their engagement was evident: 2,203 combos served by avid gamers. And they achieved all of this with a fraction of their competitors' resources.
Generating buzz that’s culturally relevant takes precedence over sales metrics when it comes to resonating with young adults. So they know they've hit the mark when they do something that not only gets talked about but also leads to a tangible 8% sales lift during the length of the campaign. By combining SF6 with their most distinctive brand asset (aka the Colonel), KFC has positioned itself at the forefront of modern gaming culture, offering “Street Fighter” 6 fans a finger kickin’ good experience.
Knowing that the majority of gamers like to share clips of gameplay on social, they knew platforms like Twitch, Twitter and Instagram would be their battleground for success. So, they incentivized gamers by asking them to screen record themselves using the Chef Colonel Sanders avatar, do a combo, and tag ‘@kfc_canada’ for the colonel’s original recipe chicken. The harder the combo, the better the deal.
To launch the campaign, they pushed sponsored ads on Instagram, Twitter and Youtube sharing their recipe code, inciting Canadians to play as Chef Colonel himself. In just 2 hours, it became KFC’s single most shared video, with thousands of people reacting to the Street Fighterized version of Colonel Sanders with comments like: “Chef Sanders is deezed!,” “KFC just hadoukened the internet,” and even tagging famous celebrities that he resembled, like Seth Rogen and Guillermo Del Toro.
The campaign quickly picked up PR, getting the attention of prominent gaming publications like IGN, BRgaming, Nerdist, and CGMagazine – prompting Twitch streamers to download the recipe and turn combos into combos. Some even used “Street Fighter” 6’s intricate wardrobe selection to create their own versions of the Colonel, showing that KFC is in on gaming culture.
“PepsiCo deepens soccer ties with EA Sports partnership” – Marketing Dive
“LVMH Is Extends Partnership With Epic Games” – Forbes
“Chipotle announces promo with Campcom’s Street Fighter” – Sportskeeda
These are just some examples of brands buying their way into multi-million dollar gaming franchises. While these are no different than other sponsorships in sports or entertainment, they lack a key ingredient in winning the loyalty of gamers – authenticity. Just this year, a panel at The Drum described the current state of game sponsorships as “sloppy brand partnerships that happen as a result of lack of information or strategy, or both.”
While there’s no cheat sheet for getting it right, brands need to remember that gaming is a community, not a channel. But, when done right, brand integrations can be embraced and even add value to the community. This is where ‘KFC x “Street Fighter” serves as an innovative example of how to earn the respect of your audience without paying a million dollar price tag.
Infiltrating “Street Fighter” 6 was a low-budget way to build buzz and reinforce KFC’s most distinctive asset, making Colonel Sanders a part of pop culture with avid gamers who seek out code reveals and thrive on finding creative ways to experience their favourite game.
While KFC has a certain nostalgia for older generations in Canada, it was clear that they needed to tap into pop culture to truly resonate with young adults. Their strategy? Enter the gaming space. And that wasn't going to be a traditional ad buy, so they had to engage with gamers in a real way.
With a whopping $16,135,600 in Earned Media Value (EMV), KFC showcased its vast impact and reach. Moreover, their engagement was evident: 2,203 combos served by avid gamers. And they achieved all of this with a fraction of their competitors' resources.
Generating buzz that’s culturally relevant takes precedence over sales metrics when it comes to resonating with young adults. So they know they've hit the mark when they do something that not only gets talked about but also leads to a tangible 8% sales lift during the length of the campaign. By combining SF6 with their most distinctive brand asset (aka the Colonel), KFC has positioned itself at the forefront of modern gaming culture, offering “Street Fighter” 6 fans a finger kickin’ good experience.
Credits
Founder + CCO: Dhaval BhattFounder + CCO: Joel Holtby
Partner + President: Niki Sahni
Partner + CSO: Tom Kenny
Executive Director of Development: Shannon Miller
ACD, Writer: Hemal Dhanjee
ACD, AD: Steve Ierullo
Senior Strategist: Lyndsey Westfall
Group Account Director: Alex Karayannides
Executive Producer: Clair Galea
Editor: Marcus Barrie
PR: Narrative
EVP Managing Director: Cathy Mitchell
Managing Director, Chief Creative Officer: Meredith Klapowich
Vice President: Lauren Baswick
Account Director: Daliah Hijazi Marsons
Account Manager: Sreeja Sasidharan
Account Manager: Holly Wilks
Client: KFC
Chief Marketing Officer: Katherine Bond-Debicki
Marketing Director: Azim Akhtar
Marketing Manager: Jordan Sequiera
Media: Wavemaker
CEO: Nikki Stone
Senior Media Planner: Blanca Gamez
Associate Director: Daniel Balment
Account Manager: Ani Hajderaj
Assistant Media Planner: Marcelyn Tran