KFC Thailand has placed itself in the centre of the cultural event, Songkran, Thailand’s water festival for Thai New Year. The hyper-local campaign began with a giant inflatable Colonel Sanders at Bangkok’s landmark Elephant Tower, a striking massive visual prompting shares across social media platforms. Behind the viral spectacle is a simple, relatable local insight – the discomfort of “shoe chafing” during Songkran, when wet, slippery conditions make walking difficult.

KFC Thailand then turned this Songkran pain point into a creative opportunity, with a limited-edition product, the Colonel Riding Elephant Flip-Flops, inside the campaign, This Songkran, Make Your Fun Elephant-Sized, in collaboration with legendary Thai footwear brand, Nanyang. The footwear combines the DNA of Nanyang’s classic Changdao flip-flops with KFC’s bold, playful identity. Designed specifically for water play, the they offer comfort, grip, and standout style in a signature red-and-white look – allowing Thais to enjoy the festivities fully without worrying about slipping or discomfort.

To engage younger audiences, the launch is amplified through a video featuring a new character, Nong Kang – a playful baby elephant inspired by the product itself, whose name cleverly blends the Thai words for chicken (“kai”) and elephant (“chang”). The humorous content is presented in an animal care format, blends emotional appeal and shareability.

Watch it here.

This is further by a film titled, Shoes Eat Legs. People Eat Chicken, turning a painfully real Songkran struggle into absurd chaos. It kicks off with someone yelling, “My shoes are eating my legs!” in the middle of a wild water fight, before the Colonel storms in like an action hero, splashing through the madness and dropping the line, “Where’s the elephant, uncle?!” Plot twist: it’s the Colonel Riding Elephant Flip-Flops” at KFC bringing elephant-level fun, zero shoe drama.

Patra Patrasuwan, associate marketing director KFC Thailand,commented,, “At KFC Thailand, we turn deep consumer insights into ideas that are fun, surprising, and truly part of people’s lives. Songkran is one of the most joyful moments of the year, yet it also comes with familiar challenges, such as uncomfortable footwear during water play. This inspired the ‘Colonel Riding Elephant Flip-Flops’—transforming a small, relatable insight into a bold, functional idea that helps people fully enjoy the festival. For us, great marketing goes beyond communication—it’s about creating real experiences and being part of people’s happiness in every moment of celebration.”

To complete the celebration, KFC Thailand is rolling out special Songkran meal bundles nationwide, as well as limited-edition flip-flops available as a redemption add-on for 99 baht at KFC restaurants nationwide. And as a Thai New Year gift, 2,000 pairs of limited-edition flip-flops are dropping at Silom Road, one of Bangkok’s wildest Songkran hotspots, from April 13 – 14.