As a marketing professional I like to consider myself a pretty creative thinker, I mean I can come up with an effective campaign and absolutely execute on it but I’m not sure if I would have been able to come up with this idea let alone believe that anyone in public office would consider it. Yet there it was in photographic form, the man we all know as the KFC Colonel had his face spray painted ever so nicely on a newly repaired (covered) pothole.

You see, Kentucky Fried Chicken has for some reason decided that they can tie repairing potholes across the USA back to greasy and fattening chicken. In a statement on their website it seems awkward at best, “For more than half a century, KFC has “filled up” its fans with the Colonel’s world famous, freshly prepared fried chicken. Today, in a marketing first, KFC is celebrating its continued dedication to freshness by launching a pilot infrastructure renewal program, becoming the first-ever corporate sponsor of “fresh”ly “filled up” potholes in up to five major cities across the U.S.”

KFC Missed An Opportunity

Now normally I am not one for gimmick marketing, but I will grant you that this has the potential to be a really fun campaign and one that if done right could be modeled after the brilliant Burger King Whopper campaign, it’s just that KFC has not done anything more than the gimmick leaving me scratching my head. Continue Reading…

As someone with an entrepreneurial mind I often have business ideas, marketing sparks or even just insights that I think might prove valuable for a future article, book or speaking engagement. Sometimes I am able to work through the idea on my own, either pursuing it further or deciding it was best as a passing thought – but often I want to get some real world opinions or reactions and I certainly am not about to pay a real focus group. Problem? Absolutely not…

If you’re looking for a variety of opinions or a sounding board for ideas, sometimes your best bet is to turn your thoughts inward to your own life and to your real life group of friends and other contacts. Something I have recently been able to do with different groups of people in my life. Continue Reading…