Introduction of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)

KFC is one of the world's most popular fast food restaurant chains in the world founded by Colonel

Harland Sanders in 1930. Every day, more than 12 million customers are served at KFC restaurants in

109 countries and territories around the world. KFC operates more than 15,000 restaurants around the

world today.

Colonel Harland Sanders discovered his penchant for cooking when he was only 9 years old.

Through the years he grew up to become a personage the world knows as Colonel Sanders, founder of

KFC.

He reached celebrity status in 1952, when he decided to franchise his famous Kentucky Fried

Chicken recipe blends of 11 herbs and spices to the rest of America. By the early 70's, that special recipe

reached Malaysia. The first KFC restaurant was opened in 1973 on Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman.

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The types of advertising used by KFC

a.) Internet Advertising

It is a relatively recent form of advertising. Internet has become one of the most influence media of the

modern times. Websites attract thousand of users everyday and show them advertisements. Internet

advertising has many ways to attract customer interest such as through Facebook, Blog, Official

website and etc. KFC has their own official websites which is www.kfc.com. From the website,

customers can receive the newest advertisement and view the up to date menu of KFC.

b.) Video Advertising

KFC is the first to test an online advertising format that allows it to create personalized video

promotions that change according to location, the weather and shopper behavior. The fast-food chain is

using cloud-based video platform Eyeview to incorporate a map featuring each users nearest KFC

restaurant into a short advert. It uses behavior data to inform the personalization along with advertiser

data which is collected automatically from the restaurant locator on the companys website.

c.) Public Relations Advertising

Maintaining and developing good public relations has been a marketing tool for companies to maintain

goodwill amongst company and customers. It is not only a way to be in the public eye, but also a great

way to build and maintain a particular brand image and identity. Public relations is thus a great

advertising tool which is used by companies to reach out to their investors, employees and of course,

their existing and potential customer base. KFC also building a good relation with the companys

various publics by obtaining favorable publicity, building up a good corporate image, and handling or

heading off unfavorable rumors, stories, and events. For example, KFC just lunch a event called KFC

Zinger Reloaded Media Lunch. The event was launched by MS Ling Mee Jiuan which is the Senior

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 Vice President of KFC Malaysia at 3rd March 2014. In the event, staffs played game with customers and

give away the prize if the customers win the game.

The Medium of Advertising

a.) Television

Television still remains a favorite for the big brands to build awareness and pound away messaging.

Television does remain a wonderful medium when it is done right. KFC have their 1 st television
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 commercial on 1966 on US television with a budget of US$4 million. By 1976, KFC was one of the

largest advertiser in the US. The first slogan used in television commercial was the "Get a bucket of

chicken, have a barrel of fun".

b.) Mobile

Kentucky Fried Chicken is sticking with location as a key part of a new mobile advertising campaign

that uses a combination of expandable, banner and audio ads. KFC is using several different types of

mobile ads within the Pandora iPhone & Android application to drive awareness for the new

promotions. KFCs new mobile ads campaign is a great way for the company to build a consumer-

brand relationship. Consumers are constantly on their mobile device and a mobile ad campaign is a

great way to reach them while they are on the go.

c.) Social Media

The world of smartphones is an ever-growing and changing one. The mobile connectivity it offers to

consumers makes it fertile ground for advertising. Applications from both network carriers and phone

manufactures carry branding and product information for services they offer. Advertisers are striving to

make ads which are more adaptable to smaller screens, and make them available across a range of

operating systems such as Android, iOS and Windows.

KFC has its own official social medias :

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/KFCMalaysia

Youtube : http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCR8RWMHZcSgqjD0HiUiJ_cQ

Instagram : http://web.stagram.com/n/kfc

Blog : http://kfcrocks.edublogs.org/

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Why They Use Such Medium? (Television, Mobile & Social Media)

a.) Television

In everywhere and every time, television can easily be founded and discovered, such as at mamak

stall, restaurants, public or private hospital, public transportations (buses, LRT, train) and many places.

Thus, KFC use television as its medium to do advertising to effective and succeed inform and deliver their

latest promotions and news about the new or innovation set meals, products and services to reach mass

audiences.

Besides, based on research, most of Malaysians prefer on spending their leisure time or non-working

day to enjoy drama or movie via television. There will have time to broadcast various advertisements to the

audiences while the drama or movie was playing after period of time. Therefore, KFC use this medium to

do more attractive and special promotions advertisements to attain consumers confidence towards their set

meals and make consumers will think of KFC first rather than others competitor brands.

In addition, television is the quick and smart way to deliver and promote KFCs products and services

package to reach consumers. It is because most people today are severely depend and rely on the

informations with combination of sound, motion and sight convey by the advertisements made in the

television. They believe that a company willing to do advertisements through this medium will sure a well-

reputation and quality guaranteed products.

b.) Mobile

In this globalization era, many people include youths, children and even eldest people are in the trends

of using latest technology gadgets for instance, mobile phones and Ipad. Commonly, they will addicted to

their mobile phones to log in to internet, play game or do nothing but just want not to not leave them even

a second. Thus, KFC do advertise through this medium wisely and efficiently to widespread their latest set

meal to reach consumers.

KFC also use this medium to distribute and disseminate their free coupons or vouchers and get

discounts on some special set meal with some rules and conditions that publicize in some mobile
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applications. Therefore, many people will not miss the rare chances to get this great promotions and share

and spread the news to their friends, family and colleagues. Then, the objectives of KFC to boost their sales

and increase the awareness from consumers will definitely achieved and complied.

c.) Social Media

KFC also use social media such as radio, internet, newspapers and magazines to gain attention and

notification on public. It is a perfect medium for KFC to advertise their products and services via radio

broadcasting due to it is geographic flexibility and many people will consider to listen to radio while

driving to work or back from work. Its extreme bore if people are stuck in the traffic jams, so KFC used to

make a very comfortable and attractable advertisements for their delicious and praise set meals to convince

them for a short break to have a breakfast or dinner at the nearest KFC branches. It would also a great way

to build customer relationship.

Furthermore, KFC also using social networking and video sharing sites like Youtube, Facebook,

Instagram to spread their attracting advertisements and promotions to persuade consumers to enjoy their

meals with their family, partner and friends in a very well-services from staffs and a good environment and

setting. Undoubtedly, there are increasingly numbers of people are log in to their Facebook and Youtube for

entertainment purpose, and surprisingly, they could really spend whole day on Internet. Absolutely, KFC

use this inexpensive medium not only can achieve high sales and market shares, but also enhance

reputation of their company and KFC will have confidence to become hot topic and choices for consumers

compare to competitors.

Moreover, many people adopt and hold a good habit on reading newspapers and magazines to know

and better understand the current issues and informations worldwide. So, KFC advertise their latest news,

products and services through these medium to attain readers interest and increase popularity to KFC

brands.

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The Effectiveness Of Those Advertising Methods.

a.) Television

Wide audience and reach

Television continues to have the capabilities to reach a massive target audience. Research has

shown that TV advertisements can have the potential to hit 75% of the people in one single day. TV

programs like American Idol, Britains Got Talent or even The Apprentice brings in a huge volume of

viewers who can view the potential adverts.

Most TV Ads are response Ads

Most if not all Television advertisements encourage or stimulate viewers to respond by buying

something, voting for participants in shows doing something, or wanting something. These are all

response based advertisements. Driving and encouraging viewers to respond or buy something is one of

the key goals and objectives of TV advertisers.

TV is the new Point-Of-Sale Medium

Television programs are key touch points for potential customers as nowadays more and more

viewers are equipped with internet connection via mobile phones or laptops. If they view an interesting

advertisement and they wish to purchase or learn more about it, they will immediately do so via their

computers. Consumers are more willing to research and make instant purchase due to the convenience

offered by the Internet.

TV is the dominant youth medium

Young children and youths spend most of their time watching television programs. Young adults

also watch television online via their laptops or computers. These young viewers tend to have the

influencing power to influence their parents purchasing behavior. From clothing to groceries to the

place they want to have dinner. This young market segment is a force to be reckoned with.

b.) Mobile
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Omnipresence

Research statistics have shown that almost 90% of all adults own at least some sort of mobile

device. Most users of mobile phones have their phones within arms reach majority of the time even

when it is not needed. The word mobile is translated as not in one place. Due to these

circumstances, advertisement can always reach a potential customer.

Shorter response time

The response time of short messaging system (SMS) is far faster than any email or traditional

postal mail. Together with the always-on and always-aware nature of mobile devices, communication

times have been shortened dramatically. This shorted response time helps increase the quality of

marketing messages and advertisements.

Location advantage

By knowing the location of the potential customer, marketers can send the right message and

advertisement at the right time and place. This is a crucial strategy to target the right customer. For

example, when a customer is driving near a Restaurant, location based services will send an sms via the

GPS location of the customer to send him advertisement messages.

c.) Social Media

Increased customer feedback and response

Social media is a two way media tool. Customers have the ability to feedbacks and comments to

the advertisement they receive and view. This will help a company improve its products and offerings

to better cater to the needs of the consumer.

Free advertisement

When a customer is satisfied with a product or service offering of a company, he can spread

word of mouth to all his friends and family members. This will create positive free advertisement and

brand awareness for the company. But marketers must be careful as this plan can also backfire if a

customer is unsatisfied with the product or service offered.

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Recommendation

Word Of Mouth (Buzz Marketing)

Ages ago we know that businesses run with positive or negative feedbacks from one person to another.

How do you think in the 18th century or 19th century people will know much about certain products or even

certain shops. Marketers called this, Buzz Marketing and it has been working for ages. Of course it would

be better to spread the positive words than the negative ones but the main point is to make people,

customers, consumers become the advertiser for the products. KFC can benefit from this and better yet it

saves more cost than putting on TV ads that costs over RM7500 per 10 seconds clip. Not only will it save

costs it also helps in promoting.

Include Celebrities

Have you ever seen advertisement on KFC with Datuk Lee Chong Wei in it? That is the downside of the

choice of ads by KFC. They have many advertisements on how good and new their chicken is but have

they ever tried to include someone with influence into the ads? It should be accounted for. Including people

like our Prime Minister, Datuk Lee Chong Wei or Datuk Nicole David, Artist such like Namewee and so on

are the faces of the new generations. Not only will they influence people with their success, they are the

people who have power over the minds of others. Yonex Brand has become extremely famous since they

become sponsors to Datuk Lee Chong Wei. Everybody wants to feel like the celebrities and people are

always looking to be as their idols. Such advantages should be absorbed by KFC in their choice of

advertisements.

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Reference

About KFC Colonels Story. (2014).

Retrieved March 2, 2014, From : http://www.kfc.com.my/about-colonel-story.php

KFC Marketing Strategy. (2011, December 25).

Retrieved March 2, 2014, From :

http://www.wisnudewobroto.com/kentucky-fried-chicken-marketing-strategy-english/

KFC to serve personalized online video ads. (2013, December 20).

Retrieved March 2, 2014, From :

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/sectors/food-and-drink/news/kfc-to-serve-personalised-online-video-

ads/4008957.article

Advantages and Disadvantages of Various Advertising Medium. (2013, June 9).

Retrieved March 2. 2014, From :

http://www.powerhomebiz.com/marketing-tips/advertising/advantages-and-disadvantages-advertising-

mediums.htm

Five advantages of mobile marketing over online. (2014, February 24).

Retrieved March 2, 2014, From :

http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/columns/5478.html

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