W+K Portland launched a series of holiday-themed ads for KFC, with Norm Macdonald as the Colonel doing his best Santa impression.
In “Entrance,” Macdonald claims to makes his entrances like he makes his chicken: the hard way. He attempts to slide down the chimney with a bag (presumably full of chicken and sides) but gets stuck, his feet dangling in front of the fireplace. The character remains stuck in the chimney for the remainder of the spots: “Won’t Stop,” “Gifts” and “12 Days of Chicken.” In “Gifts,” the most entertaining of the spots, a family opens a series of gifts that resemble other objects when wrapped but when opened are actually $5 Fill-Ups and a $20 Family Fill-Up. “12 Days of Chicken” meanwhile, sees Colonel Sanders singing a chicken-fied version of the endlessly annoying Christmas carol (while still stuck in the chimney). After “Gifts,” which does feel like a good direction for the brand, capitalizing on a purely absurd concept, the spots seem a bit like afterthoughts, with “Won’t Stop” reiterating the $5 Fill-Up selling point and “12 Days of Chicken” a rundown of KFC’s offerings. The ads will run on broadcast throughout the month.
Credits:
W+K PORTLAND
Creative Directors: Eric Baldwin/Karl Lieberman
Copywriter: Jonathan Marshall
Art Director: Helen Rhodes
Producer: Hayley Goggin Avila
Social Strategy: John Dempsey
Strategic Planning: Britton Taylor/Matt Hisamoto
Media/Comms Planning: Alex Barwick/Anjali Patel
Account Team: Jess Monsey/Jesse Johnson/Andrie Wheeler
Business Affaires: Karen Roche
Project Management: Erin Keeley
Executive Creative Directors: Joe Staples/Mark Fitzloff
Head of Production: Ben Grylewicz
PRODUCTION
Production Company: Biscuit
Director: Matt Dillmore
Executive Producer: Colleen O’Donnell
Sales Representative: Dana Balkin
Line Producer: Carr Donald
Director of Photography: Darko Suvak
EDITORIAL
Editorial Company: Joint Editorial
Editor: Steve Sprinkle
Asst. Editor: JB Jacobs (“Won’t Stop” and “Hanging Out”)
Post Producer: Chris Girard
Post Executive Producer: Leslie Carthy
VFX
VFX Company: Joint
VFX Executive Producer: Alex Thiesen
Lead Flame Artist: Stephan Lectez
VFX Producer: Steve Griffith
Lead Flame Artist: Katrina Salicrup
2D Artists: David Jahns/Robert Murdock/Noah Poole
MIX + SOUND DESIGN
Mix + Sound Company: Joint
Mixer/Sound Designer: Noah Woodburn
Producer: Sarah Fink
TELECINE
Telecine Company: The Mill
Colour Producer: Dan Kreeger/Dan Butler
Colourist: David “Luddy” Ludlam