Brands are known to copy their rivals when it comes to packaging or even the actual product. The only thing that separates them from one another is the brand name and the tagline itself. A tagline is unique to each brand. It may be similar but it is never the same.
However, KFC is making news for apparently ‘borrowing’ the taglines from other brands and dropping its patented ‘finger lickin’ good’. Post the pandemic, KFC has decided to reconsider the tagline temporarily in the U.K and South Africa.
The brand is now borrowing the iconic catchphrases from other popular brands like Nike, L’Oreal, and Red Bull to market its delicious chicken.
Eish, our normal slogan should be back soon.
In the meantime, we're trying on some others for size 😉
Please don’t sue us 🙏🏾 @RedBullZA #UntilWeCanFingerLickAgain pic.twitter.com/9ga8Lk5kAv— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) March 25, 2021
Today we want to be a @SimbaChipsSA Chippie 😎
Since our slogan is a bit inappropriate ATM, we are trying on a few others…#UntilWeCanFingerLickAgain pic.twitter.com/hGa5wJsO6q
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) March 26, 2021
While talking about this unique move, Suhayl Limbada, the marketing director at KFC South Africa stated, “We can’t wait to be reunited with our slogan but in the meantime, we hope the teams at Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Simba, MTN, Engen, Vodacom and OUTsurance to name a few, don’t mind if we try on their slogans for the next 48 hours – we promise we’ll give them back!”
You bet we are @McDonaldsUK #UntilWeCanFingerLickAgain https://t.co/6wIRth4pvJ pic.twitter.com/QRWhkEGFr4
— KFC UK (@KFC_UKI) March 25, 2021
Ready? @Vodacom 😎#UntilWeCanFingerLickAgain https://t.co/IvPOa7WXPk pic.twitter.com/scVdcYeDrW
— KFC South Africa (@KFCSA) March 26, 2021
The representative of KFC South Africa stated that after 64 long and beautiful years, the brand decided to pause the use of our iconic slogan in 2020. Due to the pandemic, ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ has probably become the most inappropriate slogan in the world, he said.
“We can’t wait to be reunited with our slogan but in the meantime, we hope the teams at Red Bull, Coca-Cola, Simba, MTN, Engen, Vodacom and OUTsurance to name a few, don’t mind if we try on their slogans for the next 48 hours – we promise we’ll give them back!” wrote Suhayl Limbada, the marketing director at KFC South Africa.
KFC further explained that the brand has “nothing but respect” for the brands whose catchphrases it was appropriating, and said the stunt was all in good fun.
Though it is practically impossible to enjoy those tender and juicy chicken pieces without messing up your hands, the effort taken by the brand can be considered a step to encourage people to keep their hands clean at all times.
