BANGKOK, THAILAND — KFC Thailand bagged exceptional 24 Awards at the annual Adman Awards & Symposium 2023, a prestigious marketing communication competition hosted by the Advertising Association of Thailand. This year’s theme, “DON’T MAKE ADS, MAKE! MPACT,” set the stage for creative excellence and underscored the profound impact of innovative communication on a future forward society – and KFC’s winnings were of no surprise. Adding to the accolades, KFC Thailand clinched an award in Communication Design/Marketing Campaign for the KFC x TIKKYWOW campaign from DFA Design for Asia Awards 2023.
KFC Thailand was the proud recipient of triumphs in various categories. These included: Digital & Social Design (six awards), Media (five awards), Public Relations Plan (four awards), Direct Marketing (three awards), Experience & Activation (two awards), Design, Good for People, Integrated Communication Marketing (IMC), and Out of Home. Totaling a knock-out result of 24 Awards, the KFC tribe reflected on the impact their campaigns made throughout the year, with “KFC Fried Chicken Incense Sticks” and “KFC Checking for Chicken” zinging across the stage, as notable consumer promotions.
The “KFC Fried Chicken Incense Sticks” campaign was a collaborative masterpiece with agency Wunderman Thompson. The campaign went viral earlier this year celebrating Chinese New Year, promoting the Colonel’s Original Recipe incense sticks. Winging its way through the competition, this particular campaign secured a total win of seven awards in the categories of Digital & Social, Product Design, Direct Experience & Activation, and Media.
“KFC Checking for Chicken” was a hero too, with six awards in the Digital & Social and Direct Experience & Activation segments: a VAR (Video Assistant Referee) spectacular in partnership with CJ Worx Agency, turning football referee gestures in a World Cup match into real-time KFC coupons for fans to redeem.
Onward through the evening, additional noteworthy KFC campaigns received their praise: “KFC Wheel for One,” designed to celebrate singles on Valentine’s Day with the first-ever single-cable Ferris wheel, clinched five awards across Media, Public Relation Plan, and Immersive Experience categories. The heartwarming initiative, the “KFC Let Mom Rest” Mother’s Day campaign, created in collaboration with Wunderman Thompson Thailand, cleverly replaced moms’ photos in product logos with the iconic Colonel Sanders. It won two awards and was praised for sparking a trend that encouraged fathers to step in and allow moms to take a break, earning a special award in the Good for People category.
Moreover, the Colonel’s 9.9 birthday celebration with CJ WORX secured two additional awards, which successfully hijacked Thailand’s 9.9 online shopping festival creating the illusion that all brands were celebrating Colonel’s birthday with bountiful sales. Other campaigns, like “KFC Boiled Chicken Hijack,” which defied the popular Chinese New Year trend of rising chicken prices by selling the exclusive Heng Heng Bucket at a 40% discount in Yaowarat area, and the “KFC Bucket Basket,” where Colonel Sanders spread New Year’s Eve happiness through a gift-basket-themed KFC Bucket, also received special recognition on the stage.
Suhayl Limbada, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC Thailand, walked away beaming with pride, sharing his excitement with his team. “Congratulations to everyone! The triumph of the KFC brand at the Adman Awards 2023, coupled with the overwhelming support from our fantastic KFC fans, continues to fuel our drive to consistently deliver impactful work,” said Suhayl, “I extend our heartfelt gratitude to the people and agencies involved in crafting this exciting and engaging work. These awards stand as a testament to our shared goals and resolute commitment to all our fans.”
In addition to the Adman Awards, KFC x TIKKYWOW was a standout highlight during this year’s Songkran festival, clinching the Bronze award in Communication Design/Marketing Category from DFA Design for Asia Awards. The campaign featured a fresh packaging design that captured the essence of Thai Culture, in collaboration with the renowned street artist TIKKYWOW and design guru DUCTSTORE.
KFC Thailand expresses its genuine thanks for the warm responses from all KFC fans and would like to acknowledge the dedicated efforts of its teams and partners: “KFC Thailand looks forward to continuing its commitment to creating impactful experiences for consumers and partners, with exciting campaigns on the horizon,” Suhayl concluded.
For more updates and activities from the award-winning KFC Thailand, keep a close watch on Facebook @KFCTH, TikTok @kfcthailand, Instagram @kfcthailand, Twitter @KFCThailand, and Line Official KFC Thailand.
