MANILA – In the Philippines, August is known as “Buwan ng Wika,” or “Language Month.” It is a month where we are encouraged to celebrate the Filipino language and promote Filipino culture. It would then seem that on this month and to honor this occasion, the first KFC Filipino Colonel would join in the festivities.
Ogilvy & Mather Philippines has released a campaign once again featuring character actor Pen Medina in the iconic white suit of Col. Harland Sanders. Medina explains how to order KFC in our native tongue while also translating a few items on the KFC menu into Filipino.
In the ad, several items are flashed onscreen followed by “the Koronel” elucidating in the vernacular. For example, in giving a detailed order of a one-piece chicken (thigh part) with mashed potato and mushroom soup, he states, “Isang pirasong manok, parteng hita, orihinal na resipe. Samahan mo na rin ng minasang patatas at sabaw ng kabute.”
Though translating some items are easy for the Koronel (dine-in, take out, follow-up, delivery), the garlic yogurt sauce isn’t quite as easy. As for the 11 secret herbs and spices that KFC chicken is famous for, he smiles for the camera when he translates it as, “sikretong malupit!”
Medina even addresses that sauce of choice in KFC that is gravy, and how many Filipinos tend to go a bit overboard in covering their meals with that same KFC gravy. As for the classic KFC slogan of “KFC. It’s finger lickin’ good,” there’s something about Medina’s delivery of, “KFC. Didilaan mo ang daliri mo sa sarap!” that entices you to head for your nearest KFC branch. Whether it be the actor’s stature or just the uniqueness of hearing things in our native tongue, that’s for you to decide.
