The Promise KFC UK And Ireland Just Made About Its Chickens

For a restaurant that makes most of its money by its signature breaded and seasoned fried chicken, you wouldn't think KFC would want their customers to think too much about where exactly that chicken comes from. Considering that the food they are enjoying was once a living, breathing animal makes most people squeamish, and might even turn some off eating meat entirely. However, that's exactly what KFC U.K. and Ireland just did in their new ad campaign, repeatedly dropping the "C-bomb" that has up until now been largely avoided by the brand.

In their new campaign, KFC made a point to address concerns for animal welfare head on by promising to be more open about the way their chickens are treated before they make it to their customer's plates. They also pointed out their tier one status in the World Animal Protection's Pecking Order 2021 for their high animal welfare standards, according to Adweek. "KFC's commitment to chicken welfare is a big deal, so we wanted to make sure it got the attention it deserves," said James Ross-Edwards, creative director at the creative agency Mother London, who partnered with KFC on the campaign (via The Drum). "Plus, what an honor to be dropping the C-Bomb on national TV."

The new advertisement follows KFC U.K.'s ongoing efforts to improve the welfare of their chickens, which began after a 2020 report revealed high rates of mortality and other illnesses like footpad dermatitis and hock burn in their fast-growing chickens, a breed which is at high risk for many health and welfare problems, according to Big Hospitality. The brand promised to transition to slower-growing breeds, as well as work to meet the welfare standards set forth by the NGO-led Better Chicken Committee.

The company has also received praise for acknowledging their mistakes and being more transparent about the welfare of their chickens than most fast food companies. "Chicken welfare is incredibly important to us," said Jack Hinchliffe, marketing director at KFC U.K. and Ireland (via The Drum). "We've been on a journey over the last few years to raise standards and drive transparency – but we know we haven't done a good enough job actually talking about chickens and their welfare head-on. That's going to change."