Claire Thompson
KFC's new chicken and waffles commercial features an actor playing Colonel Sanders dancing with a Mrs. Butterworth's syrup bottle to the tune of (I've Had) The Time of My Life. The commercial is a spoof of the famous lift scene from the '80s film Dirty Dancing, with the Colonel taking on the role of Johnny Castle and the oversized syrup bottle playing Baby. KFC has released a series of quirky and comical ads in recent years, often featuring celebrities as Colonel Sanders, and this latest campaign taps into consumers' nostalgia for the '80s and '90s.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | November 2018 |
| Product | KFC's limited-edition chicken and waffles dish with Mrs. Butterworth's syrup |
| People | Actor playing Colonel Sanders, Mrs. Butterworth |
| Dance Style | Spoof of the famous lift from the final dance scene of "Dirty Dancing" |
| Song | "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
Colonel Sanders and Mrs Butterworth star in the KFC commercial
KFC has released a new commercial starring Colonel Sanders and Mrs. Butterworth to promote its limited-edition menu item, Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles. The commercial features an iconic dance scene from the 1987 film "Dirty Dancing", with Colonel Sanders lifting Mrs. Butterworth, the mascot of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup, to the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". The scene has been recreated with a comedic twist, as the actors playing Colonel Sanders and Mrs. Butterworth dance like Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey's characters in the original film.
This is not the first time KFC has animated a condiment in its marketing. In September 2018, the company introduced Colonel Bear, a talking bear-shaped honey bottle dressed like the Colonel, to promote its Hot Honey Fried Chicken. KFC has also featured different celebrities as Colonel Sanders in recent marketing campaigns, including actor George Hamilton as the Extra Crispy Colonel and "Game of Thrones" actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as the Double Crispy Colonel.
The KFC Chicken & Waffles commercial is in line with the company's quirky and comical marketing strategy, leveraging nostalgia to capture the interest of millennial consumers. The ad campaign also includes a Super Bowl tribute to the 1980s film "Dirty Dancing", featuring New York Giants players Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr. recreating scenes from the film.
The limited-edition menu item, Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles, offers customers a range of options, including a one-waffle basket with tenders, drum & thigh, or breast, and a two-waffle Big Basket with additional pieces. The dish is served with Mrs. Butterworth's Original Syrup, as well as mashed potatoes and multiple packets of buttery spread.
The KFC Chicken & Waffles commercial has received mixed reviews. While some praise the creative and entertaining approach of the ad, others have questioned the choice of a sexually charged dance routine between Colonel Sanders and a female-shaped maple syrup bottle. Despite the varying opinions on the commercial, KFC's limited-edition chicken and waffles dish has been well-received, with positive reviews for the taste and freshness of the waffles.
The Sweet Secret to Perfect Bourbon Chicken
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The commercial spoofs the famous Dirty Dancing lift scene
KFC's new commercial for its limited-edition menu item, Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles, spoofs the famous Dirty Dancing lift scene. The commercial features Colonel Sanders, played by an actor, dancing like Patrick Swayze's character, Johnny Castle, in the 1987 film. The female-shaped, freakishly oversized Mrs. Butterworth's bottle dances like Jennifer Grey's character, Baby, in the film. The commercial is set to the tune of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life," the song playing during the Dirty Dancing lift scene.
The Dirty Dancing-inspired commercial is not the first time KFC has spoofed famous dance scenes in its advertising. In 2018, the fast-food chain released a commercial featuring New York Giants players, including Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., recreating scenes from the film, including the iconic lift.
The dancing condiment bottle is also not a novel concept for KFC. In September 2018, the chain unveiled Colonel Bear, a talking bear-shaped honey bottle dressed like Colonel Sanders, to promote its new Hot Honey Fried Chicken offering.
By parodying well-known love songs and iconic dance scenes from the 1980s, KFC taps into the nostalgia of millennial-age consumers, capturing their interest and leaving a memorable impression.
The Best Way to Boil Chicken: Lid On or Off?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The commercial features the song '(I've Had) The Time of My Life'
KFC has released a new commercial for its limited-edition menu item, Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles. The commercial features the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, which was made famous by the film "Dirty Dancing". In the commercial, Colonel Sanders, played by Craig Fleming, dances with a life-size, sentient Mrs. Butterworth syrup bottle to the tune of the song. The commercial is a spoof of the iconic final dance scene from the 1980s film "Dirty Dancing", in which Patrick Swayze's character lifts Jennifer Grey's character over his head. In the KFC commercial, Colonel Sanders similarly lifts Mrs. Butterworth over his head.
The commercial is part of KFC's quirky and comical marketing strategy, which often involves animating condiments and parodying famous songs and scenes from films and TV shows. The fast-food chain has also previously featured celebrities as the Colonel in its commercials, such as George Hamilton as the Extra Crispy Colonel and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as the Double Crispy Colonel.
The KFC Chicken & Waffles commercial was released in 2018 and quickly gained popularity, with many viewers finding it hilarious and unique. The combination of the well-known song, the unexpected pairing of Colonel Sanders and Mrs. Butterworth, and the spoof of a beloved film scene captured the interest of consumers, especially those with nostalgia for the '80s and '90s.
The commercial also sparked conversations and reviews about the limited-edition menu item it promoted. Some people were initially sceptical about the waffle, wondering if it would be dry and tasteless. However, after trying it, many were pleasantly surprised by its freshness, butteriness, and maple syrup flavour. The chicken and waffles dish was generally well-received, with people appreciating the combination of the crispy chicken and the fluffy, tasty waffle.
Overall, the KFC Chicken & Waffles commercial featuring the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" was a creative and effective marketing campaign. It not only entertained viewers with its humour and nostalgia but also successfully promoted the limited-edition menu item, generating interest and positive reviews.
Chicken's Road Trip: North Korea's Bizarre Border Tale
You may want to see also
Explore related products
KFC has previously animated condiments in its marketing
KFC has been an extensive advertiser since the establishment of its first franchise in 1952. The company's founder, Harland Sanders, developed his "'Colonel' persona as a low-cost marketing tool," and the Colonel's image remains a key component of KFC's advertising. The brand is well known for its "finger lickin' good" slogan, which was trademarked in 1956 and became one of the best-known slogans of the twentieth century.
In recent years, KFC has experimented with different marketing strategies, such as a Saucy store concept focused on tenders, chicken sandwiches, and sauces. The brand has also revamped its logo and packaging to showcase a more serious image of Colonel Sanders, demonstrating its commitment to transparency and winning back customers.
KFC's latest marketing campaign, titled "The Colonel Lived So We Could Chicken," features a movie theater spot called "Obsession," which recounts the Colonel's meticulous process of creating KFC's signature recipe. This campaign aims to showcase Sanders as a cultural icon and leverage the founder's story as inherently American.
Why Do Chickens Sneeze? Understanding the Reason Behind it
You may want to see also
Explore related products
KFC's Colonel Sanders has been played by various celebrities
One of the earliest celebrity portrayals of Colonel Sanders was by Randy Quaid, who voiced an animated version of the character in television commercials from 1998 to 2001. In 2015, KFC revived the Colonel Sanders character in new television advertisements, this time played by comedian Darrell Hammond. The campaign generated some controversy, with some commentators finding the portrayal distasteful and disrespectful. However, it also caught the attention of many, including fellow comedian Norm Macdonald, who tweeted his support for Hammond's version. Macdonald then took on the role himself in August 2015, playing a self-aware and playful version of the Colonel, claiming to be the “real” Sanders.
In 2016, George Hamilton brought his famous tan to the role, playing the "Extra Crispy Colonel" to promote KFC's extra crispy chicken. This was followed by a series of other celebrity portrayals, including comedian Rob Riggle, who played an athletic and competitive version of Sanders as the “owner, head coach, and marketing director” of the fictional "Kentucky Buckets" football team. WWE wrestler Dolph Ziggler also donned the Colonel's suit for a WWE-specific commercial, and actor Billy Zane played the "Solid Gold Colonel" to promote the "Georgia Gold Honey Mustard BBQ" chicken offerings.
In 2017, actor Rob Lowe joined the list of celebrities who have played Colonel Sanders, and WWE continued to feature the Colonel in their ads, with Shawn Michaels and Kurt Angle taking on the role. Actress and country singer Reba McEntire also made history as the first woman to play the Colonel in a musical spot, poking fun at her own likeness to the character. Other notable portrayals include Ray Liotta, who played a version of the Colonel with two personalities, and Christopher Boyer, who played the "Value Colonel," emphasizing that the brand had saved money by hiring him instead of a fancy celebrity.
Butter-Basted Chicken: The Secret to Succulent Meat
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
An actor portraying Colonel Sanders stars in the KFC chicken and waffles commercial.
Mrs Butterworth, the mascot of Mrs Butterworth's syrup, also appears in the commercial.
The commercial spoofs the famous lift from the final dance scene of the film "Dirty Dancing".
The song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" is played in the commercial.
The commercial promotes KFC's limited-edition menu item, chicken and waffles, with a side of Mrs Butterworth's syrup.
