Branding · Global · 2018
KFC: FCK: an apology
When KFC ran out of chicken, it apologised with a rearranged logo and a sense of humour.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readMother LondonBranding · Campaigns
- Brand
- KFC
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 2018
- Category
- Branding
- Agency or team
- Mother London
- Channels
- Print, PR, social
The context
In February 2018, a new delivery contract in the UK failed and most of KFC’s roughly 900 restaurants closed or cut their menus. The brand faced national ridicule.
People forgive brands that admit mistakes clearly.
The move
Mother London rearranged the letters on an empty bucket to read FCK and ran a full-page apology in national newspapers that admitted the mistake plainly, thanked staff and partners, and promised a fix.
How it was executed
- Rearranged the KFC letters on an empty bucket to read FCK.
- Ran a full-page apology in national newspapers.
- Thanked staff and partners and explained the fix.
When KFC ran out of chicken, it apologised with a rearranged logo and a sense of humour.
What happened Reported facts
The apology was widely praised and is taught as a model of crisis communication. It won major creative awards and shifted coverage from mockery to respect.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
The apology was humble, clear and in the brand’s own voice. Humour showed confidence without dodging responsibility.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Own the mistake in plain words.
- 02A brand’s voice should survive a crisis.
- 03Humour works only when the apology is real.
Indian brands facing service failures can apologise in plain language on the channels where customers complain, before the story runs away.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: KFC UK; Mother London; press coverage (2018). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with KFC.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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