General information
Country: UK
Company: Sky UK
Client: KFC
Sector: Food Delivery Platform
Media: TV, Digital, Social media
Time period: Mid-February – Mid-June.
Campaign objectives: Brand building, Driving more precise fandom than their multi-brand competitors. As KFC’s delivery service is relatively new compared to some bigger delivery services.
Context
The UK is the third biggest online food delivery market globally, KFC Delivery was the newest contender among high-performing competitors. Their single-brand approach required them to cultivate a dedicated fan base, outshining multi-brand rivals.
Fresh from their victorious Qatar FIFA World Cup ITV sponsorship, KFC Delivery and media agency Mindshare sought a long-term partner to maintain their momentum across the broader annual sports calendar. Their ambition was to make KFC Delivery synonymous with key sporting events, enhancing brand fame, driving positive value perceptions, and boosting brand loyalty. They needed a multi-platform partnership with continuous presence and contextual relevance, measuring success through brand evaluation and econometric methodology to drive app downloads and transactions.
Sky Sports, was the natural choice for this partnership, especially since Sky Sports News’ viewers frequently ordered fast food delivery and regularly ate takeaway chicken. With 21% of these viewers already KFC customers, it was the perfect opportunity to introduce them to KFC’s delivery service. As the Official Delivery Partner for Sky Sports, KFC aimed to satisfy chicken cravings amid adrenaline-pumping sporting moments.
Creative minds
The campaign was designed to be part of the viewing experience, using creative content with contextually relevant talent and voiceovers. The World Cup sponsorship idents, originally developed by creative agency Mother London, were given a new sporting twist and integrated into Sky Sports. Sky Sports talent provided voiceovers for 10-second TV commercials, strategically aired during key dining moments, including pre-match, half-time, and post-match periods.
Kicking off on February 13, the 18-week campaign covered iconic events like the Premier League, English Football League One, Women’s Super League, Scottish Professional Football League, The Ashes, and Formula 1. The goal was to present KFC Delivery as the ideal companion for live sports fans, allowing them to enjoy their favourite fried chicken while immersing themselves in their favourite sports. TV commercials depicted fans racing against time to get their KFC takeaway home before the starting whistle, with cricket fans diving for a bucket catch, football enthusiasts sprinting with a bucket of fried chicken, and Formula 1 fanatics manoeuvring through streets like race cars to beat the delivery clock. Sky Sports commentators Pien Meulensteen, Bill Leslie, Ebony Rainford Brent, and David Croft narrated these chicken-charged adventures, making the campaign special and memorable.
The partners involved were Mother London, Sky Media, Sky Sports News, and Sky Sports.
Campaign video
Results
The campaign unfolded on Sky Sports’ wide range of platforms, effectively dominating live contextual moments with linear placements. They reached on-the-move viewers through Sky Go and took over the home of sporting highlights and news with high-impact digital placements across Sky Sports’ website, app, and YouTube channel. Sky Sports’ social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook, became prime spots for serving up pre-roll ads at mealtimes.
Following positive brand measurement research results in season one (February-June), KFC Delivery renewed for season two (August-December). They maximized on the growth of the new Premier League season, added contextual Darts TVCs voiced by Wayne Mardle, and established a data-sharing agreement with Sky for web and app attribution measurement.
The campaign achieved significant results: a 57% increase in buzz and a 12% increase in word-of-mouth exposure, an 18% increase in TOM brand awareness, and a 28% increase in KFC Delivery awareness. Brand consideration saw a 5% rise, and Sky households exposed to the activity were 32% more likely to interact with KFC compared to those unexposed. From season one to season two, the campaign saw a 109% increase in transactions and a 123% increase in app sessions.
Phoebe Syms, Brand Manager for KFC UK&I, expressed immense pride in the outcomes achieved through their sponsorship of Sky Sports. Reflecting on the campaign, she noted, “We are immensely proud of the outcomes achieved through our sponsorship of Sky Sports across the year and being part of the fans’ experience during key sporting moments – through the highs and lows. The campaign showed that the games results can’t be guaranteed, but at least the delivery of delicious fried chicken can be.”