Ad Agency Wieden+Kennedy Announces Separation from KFC
KFC Parts Ways with Wieden+Kennedy Portland After Seven Years
Fast food giant KFC has announced that it is reviewing its creative and media business, and as a result, Wieden+Kennedy Portland will no longer be the chain's U.S. creative and media agency. The news was confirmed by Wieden+Kennedy Portland to Adweek.
The decision comes after the agency took on a new role with McDonald's in Australia, a major competitor to KFC. This move likely created a conflict of interest, as W+K already supported McDonald's in North America.
W+K Portland has been responsible for creating many of KFC's iconic ads, including those featuring the reimagined Colonel Sanders. The agency's spokesperson expressed appreciation for the seven-year partnership with KFC, acknowledging that the work had a significant impact on both parties. They also expressed gratitude to everyone involved in the collaboration.
In a statement, a KFC spokesperson did not provide any information about the reason for the review or the remaining agencies in the pitch. They simply confirmed that the review of KFC's creative and media business is ongoing. No further details about the future creative and media agency for KFC in the U.S. were provided in the statement.
The future creative and media agency for KFC in the U.S. has not been publicly announced. The status of the pitch for KFC's U.S. creative and media agency is still under review, as stated by a KFC spokesperson.
KFC first announced that its creative and media business would be up for review in September. W+K Portland was not part of the pitch to continue as KFC's U.S. creative and media agency.
The competitive dynamics in fast food advertising and the need for W+K to prioritize the McDonald's account, especially in a new territory, likely drove the decision to cease their KFC relationship, given the direct rivalry between the two brands. There are no indications of other reasons such as performance issues or strategic disagreements mentioned in the available information.
W+K Portland has been involved in KFC's advertising for at least seven years, creating ads that have been memorable and successful for the brand. The agency's departure marks a significant change for KFC's advertising strategy in the U.S.
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- The financial implications of managing two major fast food clients, KFC and McDonald's, may have necessitated Wieden+Kennedy Portland to prioritize one over the other, leading to their departure from KFC's creative and media business.
- The loss of Wieden+Kennedy Portland, a business that has significantly contributed to KFC's entertainment sector through its memorable advertising campaigns, might prompt KFC to seek new partners in both creative and media fields for continued success in the highly competitive fast food industry.
