Humour with a dash of aah – Special introduces KFC Australia’s revamped chicken tenders and expanded range of 11 dipping sauces by boybanding them. Rather than taking a conventional product-led approach, Special turned the idea of tenderness into an entertainment concept, inspired by the timeless innocence of the boyband era.

The fictional boyband in More Tender Than Ever personifies KFC’s pure obsession and effort in making its tenders the best they’ve ever been.

The hero film underlines the tender transformation using sweet tones and boyband harmonies to make them more tender than ever, while high-impact OOH promotes the incredible size, texture, and quality of the new tenders. In social, dedicated content explores and celebrates the expansive range of 11 delicious dipping sauces.

KFC CMO, Vanessa Rowed, stated, “Our boy-banding process sets the stage for a truly transformed product story, bringing the obsession behind our new Tenders to life with maximum entertainment. The wider campaign ecosystem showcases the product upgrades in detail, with OOH spotlighting bigger, crispier and saucier Tenders, while social and creators dive deeper into the unique flavour profiles of our 11 dipping sauces.”

The band and its music were created in collaboration with Revolver director and boyband aficionado, Leilani Croucher, and the composers at OTIS.

Special CCOs and partners, Tom Martin and Julian Schreiber, commented, “We could have just told Australia that KFC made their tenders bigger, juicier and crispier. But rather than running an ignorable product relaunch, we wanted to use it as a moment to also show the incredible passion KFC have put into improving their tenders. The result is a big, unusual, delicious fever dream that transports us all to a tenderer time in our lives.”

The six-week campaign will run across television, YouTube, SVOD, OOH, paid social and creator content, and will be supported by community management-led social activity.

Credits:
Client: KFC Australia
Chief Marketing Officer – KFC SOPAC: Vanessa Rowed
Marketing Director: Sabrina Douglas
Group Marketing Manager: Jessica Farahar
Assistant Brand Manager: Johann Nielsen
Brand & Communications Manager: Gabby Hunt
Head of Media: Bridget Cooper
Media Manager: Christian Fox

Creative Agency: Special 
CEOs & Partners: Lindsey Evans & Cade Heyde
CCOs & Partners: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber
CSO & Partner: Dave Hartmann
Creative Directors: Gabe Woodmansey & Jono Aidney
Creatives: Joel Grunstein, Harry Roth & Eliza Smith
Senior Strategist: Adelaide Day-Collett
Executive Director: Jaimee Kerr
Senior Business Director: Annabelle Massera
Business Manager: Alice Bishop
National Head of Production: Tash Johnson
Head of Print: Nick Lilley
Design Director: Dan Jones
Finished Artist: John Rivera 
Senior Producer: Alyce Guy
Social Shoot Production Coordinator: Serina King
National Head of Social: Maddie Marovino
Community Manager: Jasmine Jaffar

Production Company: Revolver
Director:  Leilani Croucher
Managing Director & Co-Owner: Michael Ritchie
Executive Producer & Partner: Pip Smart
Senior Producer: Alex Kember
DOP:  Andrew Commis
2nd Unit DOP: Susan Stitt
Food Stylist: Jenn Tollhurst
Production Designer: Kris Brujic
Wardrobe: Olivia Simpson
Makeup & Hair: Gavin Anesbury
Choreographer: Tiana Canterbury Casting: Natalie Jane Harvie, Citizen Jane Casting

Edit: The Editors
Executive Producer: Rita Gagliardi
Offline Edit: Brendan Jenkins
Grade and Motion Graphics: Scott Stirling
VFX & Online: Stu Cadzow

Music + Sound: OTIS

Media Agency: EssenceMediacom

Social Director: Harry Roth
Social DOP: Trudi Gultom
Social Gaffer: Tahira Donohoe-Bales
Social Post Production: Carve & Stitch
Social Post Producer: Jet Dominic
Social Editors: Reuben Gibbes and Jeremy Cooper