KFC Picks MullenLowe as Its New Creative Agency of Record

Editor’s Note: The story has been updated with comments from KFC and MullenLowe Boston. The wait is over as KFC has told Adweek the brand has named MullenLowe Boston as its creative agency of record. KFC put its U.S. creative and media accounts in review last September after working with Wieden+Kennedy for creative since 2015 and media since 2018. The brand has already found its new media agency, naming Publicis Groupe’s Spark Foundry as its new media AOR last month. Five agencies—indie agencies Fig and Johannes Leonardo, IPG’s MullenLowe and FCB and Havas’ Arnold—participated in the creative review, with MullenLowe and Fig making it to the final round. From July 2020 to July 2021, KFC spent $166 million on measured media, including $50 million on digital media, according to the latest data from COMvergence. "KFC has created some of the most iconic creative that the world has ever seen, and we’re incredibly excited and honored to partner in their next chapter of growth in the U.S. Most importantly, we look forward to putting the joy of eating KFC at the center of our work," Kelly Fredrickson, president of MullenLowe Boston, said in a statement. KFC Debuts Plant-Based Chicken Chain-Wide, Heating Up the Faux Poultry Wars KFC's decision comes three months after former Nintendo executive Nick Chavez started in the role of CMO, taking over for CMO Andrea Zahumensky, who left the brand in April after spending about 3.5 years in the role. Multiple sources familiar with the review told Adweek that KFC extended the length of the review, which was first expected to wrap by the end of 2021, to allow Chavez to play a larger role. "MullenLowe is an agency that is moving at the speed of culture and is well-versed in 360-degree campaigns across full-funnel marketing channels," said Chavez. “They understand the consumer, the consumer’s needs, and how to shift consumer behavior." In its third-quarter report released in October, Yum! Brands announced that KFC’s revenues totaled $692 million, up 18% YoY. Net income increased to $528 million from $283 million YoY. KFC’s same-store sales rose 6% after a 4% decline the previous year. KFC has made it a focus to improve its menu, rolling out new items, including a plant-based fried chicken option. Like seemingly all meat-selling chains, KFC got into the meat-alternative game with the help of Beyond Meat last month. The national campaign for the new menu item featured YouTube star and influencer Liza Koshy. Select Resources International oversaw the review. Finding a new agency Wieden+Kennedy dropped out of the review in November, as did The Martin Agency. W+K confirmed to Adweek in November that it was no longer involved in the pitch to be the chain’s creative and media agency. The agency had spent seven years with KFC, coming up with numerous campaigns, including the long-running and buzzworthy rotating cast of Colonels, including Jim Gaffigan, Reba McEntire, Norm Macdonald and Jason Alexander. Yum! Brands, the parent company for KFC, told Adweek in September that it informed W+K Portland that it was putting the KFC U.S. creative and media business up for review, but that the agency would have a chance to defend the business. Ultimately, Wieden+Kennedy did not end up making a play for the media nor the creative business.