In the competitive market of US quick-service restaurants, KFC’s latest campaign with Highdive is turning heads. “Obsession,” the brand’s bold new ad, is the first installation of a larger comeback plan, and it’s already proving to be successful in a category where flavor wars are fought daily.
The QSR space is no picnic. It’s a packed sector focused on deals, delivery, and digital buzz. So when KFC stepped up with a campaign that’s equal parts storytelling and brand strategy, System1 tested it on our Test Your Ad platform to see how consumers felt.
As KFC US’ VP of Brand Management Anna Faktorovich says, “We’re making KFC impossible to ignore and focusing on what made KFC iconic in the first place—our chicken and our founder’s obsessive pursuit of flavor. This work marks the start of our Comeback Plan—a bold signal that KFC is back and more committed than ever to serving up the world’s best fried chicken.”
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True to that promise, “Obsession” puts the focus wholly on two things. The Colonel, and his pursuit of the perfect fried chicken flavor. “You can’t copyright a flavor!” sneers a rival lawyer at one point in the 75-second spot. The Colonel answers him with a punch. It’s just one incident in a film that’s full of action, jokes and drama, which masterfully walks a high wire between being tongue-in-cheek and over the top and putting across the idea that KFC is truly, passionately serious about what it does.
The ad co-stars Matt Matheson, of streaming hit The Bear, as a chef doing his best to keep up with the Colonel’s obsession, and it’s a smart, up-to-date cultural reference for an ad which works as a more upbeat take on The Bear’s themes of passion and perfectionism. Cultural references are one of the best ways to capture audience attention and get your ad talked about and shared by viewers, and “Obsession” has plenty of them. But they’re in service to work which is as single minded about brand and message as the Colonel is about chicken.
That intensity carries a risk. It’s unusual to see a brand mascot punching lawyers and throwing gravy pots out of the kitchen. If Highdive didn’t get the tone exactly right they could risk negative emotions like anger or even fear from viewers who didn’t see the funny side. Fortunately, the direction is perfectly calibrated for the audience to be surprised and entertained, not just shocked.
Advertisers often shy away from using negative emotions, worried it might tarnish how consumers perceive their brand. At System1, we emphasize the importance of the emotional journey. It is not only okay to evoke negative emotions, but doing so can be powerful when those emotions are ultimately resolved. Emotional dynamism in advertising is rare, which is why storytelling that evokes real feelings stands out. When an ad captures attention, stirs emotion, and leaves a lasting impression, it drives impact.
Our research, The Extraordinary Cost of Dull, shows that when ads fail to engage emotionally, brands pay the price in wasted spend and missed opportunities. This is why KFC’s willingness to evoke small doses of negative emotions, such as Contempt (2 percent), Disgust (1 percent), Anger (1 percent), Fear (1 percent), and Sadness (1 percent), is so effective. It reduces neutrality or emotional flatness, which does nothing for the brand, as long as those emotions are ultimately resolved with a positive payoff.
The comments on our Test Your Ad report show that people saw the ad as a humorous, larger-than-life retelling of the Colonel’s history – a superb use of the brand’s biggest asset.
The result is an ad that gets some excellent scores in a very competitive category. “Obsession’s” 4.7-Star Rating on System1’s Test Your Ad platform shoots past the 3.4-Star average for QSR brands, and a strong Brand Fluency (recognition) score also easily beats the norm. Most impressive, though, in a sector in which deals and sales play such a big part, is the exceptional performance in short-term Spike Rating. It’s a metric which suggests KFC’s comeback can start right away.
The last word goes to Casey Stern, Group Creative Director at Highdive US: “We couldn’t be happier with how the campaign is turning out. We found a fresh, authentic way to talk about one of the most recognizable brand mascots in the world. And working with the incredibly talented director duo, Dorien and Daniel, we were able to tell the story of a man who really was obsessed with flavor.”
In QSR, a category that’s hotter than most, KFC’s comeback is one to watch. And if “Obsession” is any indication, the Colonel’s ready to take on the numerous chicken QSRs across the country.
Vanessa Chin is the SVP of Marketing at System1, The Creative Effectiveness Platform that predicts and improves the commercial impact of ads and ideas. Vanessa leads US marketing efforts to enhance visibility and expand business opportunities. Previously, she was Marketing Director at ALDI, supporting its transformation into the fastest-growing US grocery chain. Vanessa has also worked at Leo Burnett, MARC USA, and BBDO, with expertise in advertising, brand development, and global marketing operations.
