KFC & Kraft Heinz unite in ultimate comfort food collab across Canada
In a new commercial by Courage Inc., KFC’s mascot Colonel Sanders has gone mad for mac, as he blends KFC’s seasoning into a pot of Kraft mac & cheese like an alchemist would a secret potion.
Today, KFC Canada and Kraft Dinner (KD) — known south of the border as Kraft Mac and Cheese — have cooked up something truly unexpected: their first-ever brand collaboration and 360-degree ad campaign.
The unlikely duo is set to debut three limited-edition creations, available at grocery stores and KFC restaurants across Canada this summer, marking the first time either brand has teamed up to serve up exclusive, co-branded products both in-store and on the menu.
By August 19, Canadians can try new items: the KD KFC Original Recipe Flavor Mac & Cheese, hitting grocery shelves nationwide; the KD Mac & Cheese Chicken Sandwich; and the KFC x KD Mac & Cheese Snacker Wrap, both making their way to KFC restaurants across the country.
To introduce the collab, the brands have launched ‘It’s Finger Lickin’ KD,’ a new commercial starring KFC mascot ‘Colonel Sanders.’ In the spot, Sanders stands at the stove, dramatically blending KFC’s secret herbs and spices into a pot of KD mac & cheese, all set to the dramatic strains of Mozart’s Lacrimosa.
“KD fans have always personalized their mac & cheese with their favorite flavos, and we’re excited to take that to a whole new level by partnering with KFC, another iconic comfort food brand,” said Brian Neumann, head of brand communications at Kraft Heinz Canada. “Just like when you think of mac & cheese you think of KD, fried chicken is synonymous with KFC, but these drops will be the first time these two iconic flavors come together like this.”
The Finger Lickin’ KD campaign was produced and developed by Courage Inc., with Wavemaker handling paid media and Zeno Group Canada leading influencer content.
“KFC and KD are two cultural titans with very passionate fanbases,” added Joel Holtby, founder and co-chief creative officer at Courage Inc. “Our goal was to take their DNA and create something that feels as monumental as these icons themselves, igniting excitement on both sides in a way that’s unmistakably KFC and KD.”
As part of the campaign, KFC’s Sanders will appear in various hot spots and local grocery stores around Toronto the weekend of August 17 to 18 before the official launch, where he will be sporting a new take on his classic white suit.
The work will live across paid media, paid social, creator and out-of-home (OOH) channels across Canada.
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