KFC has turned chicken on a subway card into an advertisement

Millions of commuters in Bucharest see the same metro map every day. They didn’t know they were also staring at a piece of chicken until KFC opened their eyes.

The restaurant chain and McCann Worldgroup Romania had come across the revelation that one of the lines on the Bucharest metro that goes through the center is shaped exactly like a drumstick, so they reimagined the circuit as the ‘KFC Line’, with customers being invited to travel every stop on the circuit. for a free bucket of chicken.

To launch the campaign, KFC partnered with Metrorex, the Romanian company that operates the Bucharest metro. Strategically placed, OOH invited consumers to scan the metro map with their phone and after completing all 16 stops on the ‘KFC line’ they could claim their free bucket at any KFC restaurant in Bucharest (conveniently enough, there are several KFC restaurants near most exits line the lines so they can redeem the products.)

So far, the results of the campaign prove that the craving for KFC is a very strong feeling, with redemption rates of one bucket per minute over several days.

“KFC is not just about real chicken, but also about real experiences – we give our campaigns an unexpected flavor of creativity that surprises customers. This time the wow element comes from the daily routine of commuters and by strengthening the association with the brand, we have secured a top-of-mind place in popular culture.” said Monica Eftimie, CMO Sphera Franchise Group.

“We were blessed with, as we call it, ‘a crunchy revelation’,” says Ioana Zamfir, ECD of MRM Romania. “The Bucharest metro is so busy, and finding a chicken leg in the middle of the metro map was an opportunity we couldn’t ignore. We turned it into a permanent out-of-home advertisement for KFC.”

“Once you have it KFC, you can’t undo it,” says Catalin Dobre, CCO and co-CEO of McCann Worldgroup Romania. “This campaign reminds us that at every subway stop, the deliciousness of KFC is just a few steps away.”