Oprah Winfrey, KFC coupons a dynamic duo
Did KFC aim too high?
Word of the coupons at Oprah.com/kfc for a free meal has spread like wildfire. In my opinion, Kentucky Fried Chicken should have known that using “The Oprah Winfrey” show, web site or anything affiliated with Oprah mean a huge response.
KFC has been lagging behind other fast-food chains in terms of sales, and apparently it has decided to go for broke. Through Oprah’s site, anyone can download a coupon for a free meal including two pieces of Kentucky Grilled Chicken, two sides and a biscuit. Actually, anyone can download four coupons.
Too much, too soon?
The goal, of course, is to get people hooked on the new product and boost future sales. However, some financial analysts are worried that this giveaway will end up hurting the company. Jay Hancock from The Baltimore Sun says:
History is replete with examples of companies that offered giveaway or discount promotions only to have them become a bit too successful.
Is KFC going to need short-term loans to stay afloat after this giveaway?
A ton of free food, perhaps literally
Add up every household in the U.S. that has a working computer, internet and a printer, subtract vegetarians, a few thousand people in the “other” category and the two people in America who haven’t heard about this, multiply that number by four, and add an additional four per person who uses multiple computers. That’s how many free meals KFC will potentially be giving away before May 19.
In my “professional” opinion, yes, KFC could end up losing a lot of money. Methinks they underestimated the power of Oprah. They also may have overestimated the potential popularity of their Kentucky Grilled Chicken. I have heard mixed reviews.
Maybe not mixed, just lightly tossed
Unfortunately for KFC, the “mixed” reviews I have heard range from “not bad for free food” to “that was awful!” I have heard people express satisfaction with the food, but no one who has said they’ll be going back to make a Kentucky Grilled Chicken purchase any time soon.
KFC is pushing its “new image” hard, and its “Unthink What You Thought About KFC” campaign has spread far and wide thanks to the Oprah Force. However, as long as free stuff is flying around, it’s impossible to tell whether people are buying it.
Does “free stuff” equal “new image”?
KFC has gotten bad press for things ranging from an unhealthy menu to animal cruelty. Kentucky Grilled Chicken is clearly an attempt to fight the “unhealthy” image. You can read nutrition information on the new menu item at oprah.com/kfc while you are waiting for your coupons to print.
But is one menu item enough to completely change people’s minds about KFC? Did they reduce the fat content in the gravy or the biscuits? If they did, I haven’t heard about it. I suppose it’s possible that the Oprah Force could ultimately bring KFC closer to the top of the fast-food chain, but I won’t hold my breath. I’ll take some free mac and cheese with my chicken, though.
Several years ago, McDonald’s starting coming out with healthier fare. Salads, grilled chicken sandwiches instead of fried, and they’ve got a healthier oil for DEEP FRYING their fries/hash browns, etc., but let us be realistic – where they make their money is with burgers and fries. KFC makes its money with fried chicken – it is doubtful that offering grilled chicken is going to take away from it, but it will certainly provide some misdirection. As to whether or not they are taking away from their bottom line…the coupon itself carries a disclaimer: “Only at participating locations,” which is up to each location’s discretion as to when they are participating.
From what I’m hearing, KFC is attracting a massive flock of people. Some people were waiting as long as two hours just to get their hands on the free meal offer. However, there are also those who are completely against the new KFC promo. Some people are even running campaigns to inform others on how unhealthy KFC products are. Nonetheless, it’s a free meal; can’t beat that.
I had seen the banner’s for the grilled chicken, and was thinking about giving it a try in the future. The coupon had me going in today. KFC Hayward,CA. did not honor it. I walked out, along several others.
KFC cut our beaks off.
KFC must be trying to compete with the delicious McRib sandwich from McDonald’s; it’s hard to resist those painted-on grill-lines…
nomad, i laughed out loud at ur comment – brilliant.
The grilled chicken is really good, i have a friend that works there and says the sell more of the grilled chicken than the fried