KFC Thailand's CNY stunt with chicken-flavoured incense stick gets fried online

The KFC Brand has long been innovative in how it has marketed its iconic smell of fried chicken, but this latest gimmick by KFC Thailand to create fried chicken scented incense sticks, ahead of the Lunar New Year, seems to have rubbed people the wrong way. In Asia, burning of incense is typically seen to ward off bad luck, or at funeral, special ceremonies and daily prayers to paying respects to ancestors.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE understands that the initiative was created by Wunderman Thompson, and has reached out to the agency for a statement.

The ad was running across several of KFC Thailand’s social media platform, and saw many netizens calling it out and teasing the brand for creating “bad omen” or reminding that it wasn’t yet the “Hungry Ghost Festivals”.

Several users on Twitter have also shown their disappointment:

Is this real? KFC Thailand is launching fried chicken incense sticks?!!! What is happening?! #thailand #KFC pic.twitter.com/bI2g5VmOmG

— Lindsey Miller (@LindseyMiller87) January 13, 2023

KFC incense sticks. That's one way to get your ancestors' attention over the Lunar New Year ? Proudly brought to you by late stage capitalism ??‍♂️ #啋 #大吉利是

Source: Subtle Cantonese Traits pic.twitter.com/c0ohwujykJ

— Sidney Wong 黃吉贊 (@SidneyGJWong) January 11, 2023

However there were also netizens having their share of the fun with the incident.  

While the KFC incense stick might have struck a nerve with a few, the brand is also doing its part to support many of its riders in Bangkok delivering its goods. In support of riders over Christmas, KFC partnered with Wunderman Thompson Thailand to launch the campaign “Let’Em Rest”, offering their delivery service for free over the holiday season – a service that usually isn’t top of mind for consumers who often order via delivery apps.

The campaign kicked off with a bold social media statement to delivery apps to let KFC Delivery take over spreading happiness this Christmas to our customers and give riders a well-deserved rest.  Suhayl Limbada, CMO KFC Thailand, said as a brand, KFC Thailand truly values delivery partners and appreciate the role they play.

This is not KFC’s first time experimenting with quirky smell-led executions - although some might say the attempt to contextualise it for Chinese New Year might have led to the downfall. In 2020, KFC and Crocs partnered up to unveil a new limited edition clog that was covered in a fried chicken print with a striped base. Each pair of co-branded footwear comes with two charms/accessories at the top, made to resemble and "smell" like fried chicken, the duo said on the Crocs website. Yes, you read that right. Smell.

In a video for the new bucket clogs, these charms/accessories are seen getting lifted off the fryer and being served "hot" on to the shoe. To ensure customers are aware these are not edible, the spot ends saying, "not for human consumption".

The brand previously launched KFC gravy-scented candles in the UK and the limited-edition candles were sold on a first-come first-serve basis. In 2016, it also released a fried chicken-scented candle in New Zealand and called for a Facebook competition handing out these limited-edition candles. In 2017, KFC Japan also unveiled a fried chicken-scented bath bomb for people to bathe in the scent of its 11 herbs and spices.

(Photo courtesy: Twitter) 

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