Ad of the Day: 28 Days Later meets Stranger Things in KFC’s chicken cult
The comedic and dark commentary on the chaos of life strikes a sweet spot, marking a new creative era for the fast food brand and making it our favorite spot today.
KFC wants everyone to believe in its chicken. After a week of teasing its latest campaign with unbranded billboards, the chain has now revealed a new ad that signals a different direction for the brand… and there’s no ‘Finger Lickin’ slogan in sight.
Explore frequently asked questions
Instead, the chicken shop is opting for a dark, humorous take on current affairs, such as the rise of AI and people’s disdain for politics. It’s an engaging short film that references the 2002 horror 28 Days Later, paired with Netflix’s hit show Stranger Things.
There’s a cult-like feeling to the spot, with the chicken at the heart of it – a bold move in a category that often shies away from putting animals in fast food ads.
Advertisement
Throughout, there’s a banging soundtrack that is magnetic and invites the protagonists to move in a way that doesn’t come across as cheesy.
Credits
Brand: KFC UK & Ireland
Campaign: Believe in Chicken
Clients: Monica Pool, CMO; Kate Wall, marketing director; Leo Sloley, head of advertising and retail; Margaret Pomaah, snior brand manager.
Creative: Mother
Strategy: Mother
Media: Mindshare
PR: Freuds
Edit: The Quarry
Partner/editor: Paul Watts
Executive producer: Dilia Knobel - Winterstein
VFX: Black Kite
VFX lead: Jonny Freeman
Senior producer: Tamara Mennell
Sound: King Lear
Sound designer: Jack Sedgwick
Executive producer: Natalie Curran
Music supervision: Mr Pape
Music supervisor: John Connon
Production company (film): Business Club
Advertisement
Director: Vedran Rupic
Producer: Christian Kuosmanen
EP: Tom Berendsen
Directors pep: Noah Matthews
Production manager: Savvas Stavrou
1st AD: Robert Blishen
DOP: Nicolay Poulsson
Steadicam: Charlie Rizek
Production designer: Robin Brown
Puppeteer: Robert Tygner
Puppeteer / SFX: Niklas Hermansson
Puppeteer / SFX: Oskar Wallroth
Choreographer: Sven Lesoria
Suggested newsletters for you
Choreographer assistant: Tiffany Baden
Service company: Grandma
EP: Linas Martinkenas
EP: Indre Petrukaitiene
Producer: LT: Linas (AK) Požėra
Production manager, LT: Linas Suprikas
Production coordinator, LT: Caoilfhinn Jennings Taučiūtė
Local 1st AD: Laura Stankevičiūtė
Art director: Arūnas Čepulis
Costume stylist: Juozas Valenta
1st AC (A cam): Vydmantas Plepys
2nd AD: Ernestas Cibulskis
2nd AC (A cam): Mindaugas Zagorskis
Cast PA: Kotryna Januškevičiūtė
2nd AC (B cam): Jonas Rukas
3rd AD: Evelina Juškevičiūtė
Video assistant: Qtake Linas Stankevičius
Set PA: Mintautas Vilkelis
Video assist As Per Linas
DIT: Adomas Jablonskis
Gaffer: Rokas Bugailiškis
Key grip: Lech Gunovic
Grip: Marek Korvin
Sound: Tomas Žukauskas
Playback: Martynas Budrys
Technical unit manager: Algimantas Visockas
Locations manager: Orestas Gurevičius
Locations manager: Roberta Kazlauskaitė
Office PA: Karolis Aleksynas
Chaperone client and agency: Sibile Cibulskaitė, Donatas Bakanas
Coordinator: Artiom Grigorian
Hair and make-up Artist Viktorija Burkauskaitė
PA: Inesa Brandon Monroe
Animal wrangler: Magdalena Kadlubowski
PA: Saulė Auglytė
PA: Gediminas Česonis
Vet: Begemotas Robertas Masoit
PA: Jogailė Zlatarinskaitė
PA: Raimundas Bračiulis
Picture vehicle driver: Lukas Škimelis
Medic on set: Arnoldas Mikulėnas