KFC publicity tactic: Prank the United Nations
What in God's name was Yum! Brands thinking? It's bad enough that somebody thought this was a good idea; it's even worse that somebody higher up approved it.
An actor made up to look like KFC icon Harlan Sanders (whose image graces all KFC packaging; KFC is owned by Yum!) infiltrated the United Nations and got his picture shaking hands under the UN logo with Dr. Ali A. Treki, the president of the General Assembly -- and it was all part of a publicity stunt designed to promote its grilled chicken.
The episode kicked off when KFC president Roger Eaton sent a letter to the UN asking the secretary general to register the "Grilled Nation" as one of UN's member states.The UN's legal department is exploring whether it can take action against KFC over the letter.
As for the Colonel Sanders lookalike, he was escorted out after he approached a UN television crew and began extolling the virtues of the "Grilled Nation." The UN considers the whole thing a breach of security, according to a story in the National Post:
"It should not have happened -- that I will stress, and very strongly," said Michele Montas, spokeswoman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. "There was some lapse in security and the individual in question . . . was, on the initiative of one security guard, taken . . . into the UN."
Yeah, embarrassing the UN and inviting legal action from an international political body is a terrific publicity plan. Back-slaps all around.
