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KFC Hotel – Breaking down the campaign

Do you like fried chicken? How much? Enough to stay in a KFC themed hotel?

The fast-food restaurant company has collaborated with Hotels.com to create a pop-up hotel that will be open for just 11 days, with bookings available from 11th August. Rooms will come with a “press for chicken” button so fans will never be too far away from their favourite finger-licking snack.

With some quirky touches, strong brand alignment in the look and feel, and a creative campaign concept that’s bound to have legs, Gallium Ventures’ Heather Delaney breaks the campaign down into its practical elements, and shows how you could recreate the same impressive approach for your own clients:

  1. Find a partner with whom the drive and results of the campaign will be equally beneficial. KFC has partnered with Hotels.com to promote the idea of a themed staycation, as that is the type of holiday most of the country will be going on this year. By taking this approach, both businesses will reap the benefits of any coverage that the campaign secures along with a tag teaming approach to both marketing and PR thanks to pooling their resources.
  1. Ensure your campaign is in line with the zeitgeist or current climate. Yes, most of us are staying put but why not do so in a unique way and stay in a fried chicken hotel? There is no reason to leave when that crispy chicken can be delivered straight to you while you enjoy a night of peace. 
  1. Don’t take the convenient way out. Instead, take the time to find a venue or marketing products that are close to the look and feel of what you’re trying to get, but don’t have an excessive price tag. After the event you could auction off anything created specifically for the campaign to give to charity, as they are likely to be one-offs, and it’s a nice way to extend the story a bit more.
  1. A quirky and unexpected initiative is always going to get picked up so make sure you think out of the bucket (pun intended). Keep an eye out for unusual co-branding partnerships that align with your company’s mission, as that synergy will work in your favour. There are many examples out there such as Starbucks and Spotify, Covergirl and LucasFilm (dark side and light side makeup… it kind of works), McDonalds and Burger King – you read that right, this happened and it was all for a good cause. 

Having these tips about how to put a successful creative campaign together, all while partnering with another brand, can come in very handy. If you have any questions about how the team at Gallium Ventures can help you make a zinger of a difference in your next project, then feel free to reach out

Heather Delaney
Heather Delaney
I run things