Jedi mind-trick or interactive ad?
KFC launched an ad campaign a few weeks back to promote their 99-cent Buffalo Chicken Snacker. Using an existing commercial, the company placed a hidden code to get a free sandwich in the video. Viewers could slow down the ad, using a video recorder of some sort (like a VCR or Tivo), watch the ad frame by frame and get the code. The viewer took the code to the website, entered it into a form, and received a coupon for the free sandwich in the mail.
One major TV network refused to run the ad with the hidden message because they felt it conflicted with FCC rules against subliminal advertising. And they also felt that because some people still watch TV the old-fashioned way (without any technology to record or slow down the video) it would be unfair. Fair or not, the ad ran on other networks and KFC quickly exhausted their supply of 75,000 coupons.
What do you think? Take a look at the ad if you haven’t seen it. Do you think this is a fun, interactive experience, as KFC suggests, or is it a slippery slope toward mind controlling marketing?
Comments
On Mar 6 at 06:53 PM Stephen Devich said:
heather,i could not get the code for KFC sandwich???
On Mar 6 at 09:15 PM Andy said:
The Code is Buffalo I believe.
On Mar 8 at 04:10 PM said:
Makes me hungry for noodles!
On Mar 18 at 09:09 PM red said:
very dangerous subliminal advertising. I think it was outlawed many years ago,because movie theaters were using them to sell popcorn kfc chickens are so small you should change the name to humming bird. kfhb.
On Nov 7 at 10:58 AM chuck kelly said:
I'm sure they're very good,but I'm not going 20 mi to buy one.an I would have to drive the same 20 mi for a free one.not worth it.LATER>>>>>
On Mar 6 at 06:49 PM Stephen Devich said:
what good is your message?i could not get the code for the sandwitch.