No secret recipe to KFC’s textbook-perfect crisis response
OPINION: It’s not easy being the PR guy in a crisis. The bosses are yelling, the board is phoning, the lawyers are firing out advice and you’re desperately trying to get a sense of what people ‘‘out there’’ are really thinking.
You reach for Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and worry about what they’re saying in private chats on social media.
The public relations team for KFC would have watched the chicken puns fly over the past week as media, unions and customers asked ‘‘What the cluck?’’ and engaged in ‘‘frying’’ KFC for running out of chicken.
Yes, hundreds of KFC restaurants in the United Kingdom were closed after a change in delivery providers meant the chain couldn’t get chicken from its depot to franchises.
Looks to me like the PR and marketing dudes put their head in their hands and swore – before a light went off in their creative brains that rearranged KFC into ‘‘FCK’’ and produced a class act response.
Pictures of KFC cartons with the letters ‘‘FCK’’ appeared in fullpage advertisements in several UK newspapers. Below, it stated the bleeding obvious: ‘‘A chicken restaurant without any chicken.’’
This was followed by ‘‘It’s not ideal’’ and then an apology, directing readers to a website that opened with the tongue-in-cheek: ‘‘The chicken crossed the road – but just not to our restaurants.’’
You can risk ruffling a few feathers if you’re funny and lighthearted in a PR crisis, but KFC hit the perfect tone.
A sombre apology from a greysuited corporate wouldn’t have worked – a self-effacing and clever apology was totally ‘‘on brand’’.
While some commentators claim the KFC brand has been damaged, but I’m not so sure.
After all, let’s put the #KFCrisis into perspective. Since it was founded in 1930, KFC has built brand loyalty that has survived numerous PR crises.
Customers were simply forced to swap takeaway brands for a few days – no-one was maimed.
Ironically #KFCrisis might even boost sales. If KFC plays up the scarcity factor, it could even create demand. Let’s just hope they’ve got enough birds in the freezer to respond.
On the other hand, there will be some mopping up to do with franchisees and staff, who would have lost money, and with the GMB Union, whose puns claimed ‘‘the chickens are coming home to roost’’ after KFC’s ‘‘clucking awful’’ and ‘‘bird-brained decision’’ to change suppliers.
KFC might also have to take the bobbies a bucket or two of the Colonel’s secret recipe.
After numerous calls from the public, UK police had to tweet: ‘‘Please do not contact us about the #KFCrisis, it is not a police matter if your favourite eatery is not serving the menu you desire.’’
I wonder how life is at the head office of DHL? Despite KFC’s mea culpa you’ve got to ask, if a distribution company can’t even get chickens to a fried chicken company, can you trust them?
Unlike KFC, DHL’s response was clearly direct from the lawyers. It apologised for the ‘‘unforeseen interruption’’ but said it was not the only party responsible for the supply chain. No creative’s cleverness there.
There’s no indication yet of the financial damage #KFCrisis caused but it’s likely to be significant. However, from a PR perspective, KFC’s response was textbook perfection. It responded immediately, wore the blame, gave an explanation and said it would make amends. Its manner aligned with its brand and customer base.
On the surface, KFC appears to have good-humouredly successfully managed a giant cockup. But I doubt life is quite so jovial back in the PR office. ❚ Cas Carter is a marketing and communications specialist.
You can risk ruffling a few feathers if you're funny and light-hearted in a PR crisis, but KFC hit the perfect tone.