Jake Harper
KFC has tapped different celebrities to play Colonel Sanders in its marketing campaigns. To promote its limited-edition menu item, Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles, KFC released a series of commercials starring actor Craig Fleming as the Colonel. The commercials featured parodies of well-known love songs and dances from the '80s and '90s, such as the iconic lift scene from Dirty Dancing. In addition to Fleming, KFC has featured other actors as Colonel Sanders, including George Hamilton, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, and Christopher Boyer, each portraying different versions of the Colonel.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Craig Randall Fleming |
| Known as | Actor, comedian, writer, and educator |
| Birthplace | Long Beach, Southern California |
| Previous jobs | Disney character, seance medium, tour guide |
| Notable works | Teddy Ruxpin, Euro Disneyland |
| KFC commercial | Colonel Sanders for KFC & Waffles |
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What You'll Learn
- Craig Randall Fleming plays Colonel Sanders in the KFC chicken and waffles commercials
- KFC has previously featured celebrities like George Hamilton and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Colonel Sanders
- The commercials parody '80s films like Dirty Dancing and songs like The Power of Love
- The campaign was created by Wieden & Kennedy Portland and targets Gen Zers and millennials
- KFC's chicken and waffles meal is a limited-time offer, featuring Belgian Liege-style waffles
Craig Randall Fleming plays Colonel Sanders in the KFC chicken and waffles commercials
Craig Randall Fleming is the actor behind Colonel Sanders in the KFC chicken and waffles commercials. KFC has had plenty of famous actors play Colonel Sanders in the past, but most fans probably don't recognize Fleming.
Fleming was born and raised in Southern California, where he worked several different jobs to pay the bills, including playing a theme park Disney character, working as a seance medium at a private magic club, and working as a tour guide aboard the Queen Mary. He later developed games and scripts for Alchemy II (creators of Teddy Ruxpin) and spent several years in Paris as a senior concepteur/redacteur for the creation of Euro Disneyland.
In the KFC commercials, Fleming is dressed as the iconic Colonel, dancing and bonding with Mrs. Butterworth, a bottle of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup. In one commercial, he and the bottle recreate the signature dance from Dirty Dancing, and in another, he shares a special connection with Mrs. Butterworth in a flirty video to Celine Dion's "I Am Your Lady."
The commercials were part of a limited-time offer of chicken and waffles by KFC, with the sweet and doughy Belgian Liege-style waffles chosen from 15 different waffle variations. KFC has tapped different celebrities to play the Colonel in recent marketing campaigns, and Fleming expressed his privilege and honour to be part of the new campaign, joining the "distinguished guild of thespians who play Colonel Sanders."
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KFC has previously featured celebrities like George Hamilton and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Colonel Sanders
KFC has a history of featuring celebrities as Colonel Sanders, the brand's iconic mascot, in its marketing campaigns. In 2018, KFC released a series of commercials promoting its limited-edition Kentucky Fried Chicken & Waffles menu item. These commercials starred actor Craig Fleming as Colonel Sanders, dancing and flirting with Mrs. Butterworth, the mascot of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup. While Fleming may not be instantly recognizable to KFC fans, he joins a long line of notable actors who have portrayed the Colonel.
One such celebrity is George Hamilton, who portrayed the Extra Crispy Colonel in KFC's summer marketing campaign. Hamilton, known for his suntanned complexion, brought his unique charm to the role. In addition to his work with KFC, Hamilton has had a diverse career, including a brief marriage to actress and TV personality Alana Stewart from 1972 to 1975 and appearances in TV shows such as "American Housewife" in 2016.
Another celebrity who has portrayed Colonel Sanders is Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, the World's Strongest Man and "Game of Thrones" actor. Björnsson, known for his impressive physical strength, brought a powerful presence to the role of the Double Crispy Colonel. He is an Icelandic professional strongman, actor, and former professional basketball player.
KFC has also featured other celebrities as Colonel Sanders, such as Christopher Boyer, who played the Value Colonel during the holiday season, promoting affordable meal options. Additionally, Jason Alexander, known for his role on "Seinfeld," portrayed the "Family Colonel" in a spot titled "What's for Dinner?" These celebrity collaborations add a touch of humour and surprise to KFC's marketing campaigns, creating memorable moments for consumers.
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The commercials parody '80s films like Dirty Dancing and songs like The Power of Love
KFC has released commercials parodying 80s films and songs to promote its limited-time menu item, chicken and waffles. The commercials star actor Craig Fleming as Colonel Sanders, dancing with an animated bottle of Mrs. Butterworth's syrup. One of the commercials recreates the iconic dance scene from the 80s film "Dirty Dancing", with Fleming and the bottle performing the famous lift to the song "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". The commercial even includes New York Giants players, Eli Manning and Odell Beckham Jr., recreating the famous lift.
Another commercial in the campaign features the song "The Power of Love", popularized by Celine Dion in the 90s. KFC is known for its quirky and comical marketing strategies, and these spots continue that trend. The fast-food chain has also tapped into the nostalgia of the 80s and 90s, targeting millennial consumers who grew up during those decades.
The chicken and waffles offering from KFC is a take on the brunch favorite, with extra crispy chicken and waffles made with yeast-raised dough and imported Belgian pearl sugar. The dish is available with bone-in chicken or chicken tenders, as well as a sandwich option with a chicken breast fillet between two waffles.
The commercials are part of KFC's strategy to stand out in the competitive fast-food market. The company has previously featured celebrities like George Hamilton and Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as the Colonel in its marketing campaigns. The brand also introduced the Colonel Bear, a talking bear-shaped honey bottle dressed like the Colonel, to promote its new Hot Honey fried chicken.
KFC's chicken and waffles commercials, starring Craig Fleming, have successfully combined nostalgia, humor, and a unique menu offering to capture the attention of consumers and create a memorable advertising campaign.
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The campaign was created by Wieden & Kennedy Portland and targets Gen Zers and millennials
The KFC chicken and waffles campaign was created by Wieden & Kennedy Portland and targets Gen Zers and millennials. The campaign features Craig Randall Fleming as Colonel Sanders, dancing and bonding with Mrs Butterworth, a bottle of Mrs Butterworth's syrup. In one commercial, Fleming and the bottle recreate the Dirty Dancing lift to the tune of "(I've Had) The Time of My Life". In another, set to Celine Dion's "I Am Your Lady", the pair share a special connection.
Fleming was born and raised in Southern California and has had a varied career, including working as a Disney character, a seance medium at a private magic club, and a Queen Mary tour guide. He has also developed games and scripts for Alchemy II and worked as a senior concepteur/redacteur on the creation of Euro Disneyland.
The campaign is KFC's latest effort to capture consumers' interest in nostalgia for the '80s and '90s, the decades in which millennials grew up. It also appeals to Gen Z, who are showing a stronger interest in fast food than older generations. KFC's previous Colonel Sanders actors include George Hamilton, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, and Christopher Boyer.
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KFC's chicken and waffles meal is a limited-time offer, featuring Belgian Liege-style waffles
KFC has revealed that the pairing of chicken and waffles was not an easy feat, with the company going through 15 different waffle variations before deciding on the Belgian Liege-style. KFC U.S. Head Chef Bob Das has described the new menu item as a sweeter and doughier version of traditional American waffles.
The ad campaign, created by Wieden & Kennedy Portland, is not the first time KFC has tapped celebrities to play Colonel Sanders. In the past, the brand has featured actor George Hamilton as the Extra Crispy Colonel and the current World's Strongest Man and "Game of Thrones" actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as the Double Crispy Colonel. During the 2018 holiday season, KFC cast a relatively unknown actor, Christopher Boyer, to play the Value Colonel to promote affordable meals.
The campaign also includes a YouTube video featuring the song "The Power of Love", popularized by Celine Dion in the 90s. This video is distinct from the one set to the same-titled song by Huey Lewis in the film "Back to the Future". The creative approach for the campaign targets Gen Zers, who are showing a stronger interest in fast food than older generations.
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Frequently asked questions
The actor in the KFC chicken and waffles ad is Craig Randall Fleming, who plays Colonel Sanders.
In one ad, Craig Fleming, dressed as Colonel Sanders, recreates the Dirty Dancing lift with a bottle of Mrs Butterworth's syrup. In another, he dances with the bottle again and shares a special connection to the tune of Celine Dion's "I Am Your Lady".
Craig Fleming has also worked as a Disney character walk-around and a seance medium at a private magic club. He has also developed games and scripts for Alchemy II and worked in education.
