The traditional way for a food brand to show that its chicken is treated humanely is to show chicken being treated humanely. And that has been done dozens of times. Mother tends not to take the traditional way and it wouldn’t do something that has been done dozens of times. So when KFC UK & Ireland wanted to quash the talk about the poultry it uses, it called a press conference.

One that begins with the announcement, “We’re about to drop the C-bomb.”

With that introduction, Mother and KFC were able to make a statement about the brand’s chicken and have people take notice. In fact, this commercial is a preface. It notes that KFC stands at the top of the World Animal Protection’s Pecking Order 2021 report, which annually exposes the chicken welfare policies of the world’s most famous fast-food brands and promises more information about KFC’s animal welfare to come. (Sadly, a 59% “making progress” rating is the top ranking.)   

The “press conference” commercial launched on Friday July 23 on Channel 4 and will be supported in print, digital and social, as well as with a content series, Behind the Bucket, which outlines KFC’s attempts to meet its wider social responsibility.

Jack Hinchliffe, marketing director at KFC UK & Ireland, stated, “Chicken welfare is incredibly important to us. We’ve been on a journey over the last few years to raise standards and drive transparency – but we know we haven’t done a good enough job actually talking about chickens and their welfare head-on. That’s going to change.

“Although we know there is much more to do on welfare, we’re incredibly proud of our progress so far and want everyone across the UK and Ireland to know.”

NOTE: I would like to thank World Animal Protection in Australia for contacting The Stable on reading this story. It has asked for clarification [:ed]. KFC Australia is not included in its top World Pecking Order ranking.

World Animal Protection’s head of campaigns in Australia, Ben Pearson, stated, “It’s highly disappointing that KFC Australia is refusing to step up to the plate like many of its European counterparts have done, leaving Australia to lag behind on chicken welfare. If KFC in the UK and six countries in Europe can commit to this, why can’t KFC in Australia?”