KFC UK Reintroduces Colonel Sanders

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Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. bounce back / bɑʊns bæk / (idiom) – to recover from a difficult situation
    Example:

    The business successfully bounced back after a year of financial losses.


  2. ambassador / æmˈbæs.ə.dər / (n) – a person promoting a brand or a product
    Example:

    The company’s new brand ambassador appeared in several TV commercials.


  3. trying times / ˈtrɑɪ·ɪŋ tɑɪms / (idiom) – a period characterized by struggle or difficulty
    Example:

    We should never give up even during trying times.


  4. afloat / əˈfloʊt / (adj) – financially stable
    Example:

    To keep the business afloat, the owner is looking for new investors.


  5. former glory / ˈfɔr·mər ˈɡlɔr·i, ˈɡloʊr·i / (idiom) – a previous state of success
    Example:

    We can bring our business back to its former glory by changing our brand image.


Article

Read the text below.

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in the United Kingdom has revived Colonel / ˈkɜrn(ə)l / Sanders as its icon in its latest TV advertisement.


The advertisement was released to show that the company has already bounced back from the chicken crisis that happened in February. The crisis was caused by a chicken shortage and led to the forced closure of over 600 stores in the United Kingdom.


The real Colonel Sanders is KFC’s founder and brand ambassador. He is used as the company’s icon all over the world, but he has been missing in action for over 40 years in the KFC UK scene.


The advertisement starts with a news clip about the chicken crisis. It was followed shortly by Colonel Sanders’ appearance and a compilation of some of the old clips wherein he talked about his business philosophy. Sanders pointed out that quitting is not an option for him and that he always gives it his best shot even during trying times.


Meghan Farren, chief marketing officer for KFC UK and Ireland, emphasized that Colonel Sanders’ philosophy and recipe helped the business stay afloat during the crisis.


KFC UK is not the first one to bring back Colonel Sanders. In 2015, KFC US also relaunched the icon.


KFC US reintroduced Colonel Sanders in an advertisement to honor the 75th anniversary of the original recipe and to recover from declining sales. By bringing its famous icon back to the spotlight, KFC US hoped to regain its former glory in the country.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• In your opinion, is making a strong advertisement enough to help KFC UK bounce back from the chicken crisis? Why or why not?
• How do you think a crisis can affect a brand’s image?

Discussion B

• How important is a brand ambassador to a company?
• If you owned a business, what qualities would you look for in a brand ambassador? Discuss.