Game of chicken

October 26, 2009 6:27 PM

KFC 'colonel' dupes UN security

The incident last Thursday apparently was part of a publicity stunt by KFC, which is seeking to promote its grilled alternative to its signature fried chicken. It had dispatched the Sanders look-alike, identified by KFC as Robert Thompson, and also wrote to Mr. Ban.

The UN could take legal action against the company, whose letter, signed by KFC president Roger Eaton, asked that the secretary general register the "Grilled Nation" of grilled chicken eaters as the 193rd UN member state.

posted by KokuRyu (92 comments total)

I am somewhere between ashamed and ecstatic.
posted by Roman Graves at 6:31 PM on October 26, 2009 [22 favorites]

Wow, and I thought the bad taste was just all the grease and fat.
posted by localroger at 6:31 PM on October 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

Is there going to be a European backlash mocking the sacred institution of stuffing oneself into obesity?
posted by BrotherCaine at 6:36 PM on October 26, 2009

You know, in looking at that picture, I sort of suspect that Mr. Robert Thompson was thinking, "Oh, shit. It worked. It wasn't supposed to work. What the hell do I do? Shit. Is this...oh, crap, this really IS the UN. The United Nations! Uh, well, uh, I guess...I'd better talk...about chicken..."
posted by ellF at 6:37 PM on October 26, 2009 [8 favorites]

What's the outrage here? That foreign-born and -raised officials didn't recognize an American corporate icon for what he was? Oh, the humanity. Next, you'll be saying that they won't give Mayor McCheese the key to the General Assembly.

The nice man shook the visitor's hand, just like he would a schoolchild's or any other visitor's who had passed the metal detector. Whoop-te-do.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:38 PM on October 26, 2009

Look, I think it's been well established that single-link Onion posts are just going to get deleted. You've been a user long enough to know that.
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:38 PM on October 26, 2009 [23 favorites]

Wait, what?
posted by Horace Rumpole at 6:39 PM on October 26, 2009 [13 favorites]

Well, it's not like they can compete on the quality of their product.
posted by Joe Beese at 6:39 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

Sometime over the last 8 years reality and The Onion traded places. That recent Onion bit where pundits are making a big deal about Joe Biden sneezing seems more plausible than this.
posted by fleetmouse at 6:40 PM on October 26, 2009 [2 favorites]

We told you the south would rise again! You never saw it coming.
posted by nola at 6:43 PM on October 26, 2009 [22 favorites]

I don't want to hear anything more about KFC until they invent a lunch gun.

This story is just another failure pile in a sadness bowl.
posted by Bageena at 6:44 PM on October 26, 2009 [5 favorites]

Did he get a photo op with that culinary head of state, Burger King?
posted by mattbucher at 6:46 PM on October 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

What's the outrage here? That foreign-born and -raised officials didn't recognize an American corporate icon for what he was? Oh, the humanity. Next, you'll be saying that they won't give Mayor McCheese the key to the General Assembly.

Are you under the impression that

a) they didn't let him through security and
b) people are upset about that

?
posted by DU at 6:46 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

Nice trick, but Popeye's still makes better fried chicken.

This is about grilled chicken? I CAN'T HEAR YOU LA LA LA LA LA
posted by BitterOldPunk at 6:48 PM on October 26, 2009 [7 favorites]

No, that they did let him through security instead of going, "Hey, that's some corporate stooge! Stop him!" Which is the gist of the article title, that there must be great whopping holes in UN security if they're letting this clown in.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:49 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

For me, the story is not that it was a publicity stunt, but that no one stopped the faux Colonel.

Red-faced United Nations officials on Monday admitted to a major security lapse after a UN guard helped Kentucky Fried Chicken's "Colonel Sanders" gain access to restricted areas.

The guard escorted the white-suited intruder past security barriers, where he got a handshake from the UN General Assembly president, Dr. Ali A. Treki of Libya.

I really want to know what was said between the Colonel entering the UN building, and being escorted to shake hands with Dr. Treki. I imagine it went something like this:

Colonel: "Hey there, young fellow. Can you point this old Colonel to your Doctor Treki? Ali and I go way back, ya see, and I heard he had a hankering for some grilled chicken."
Security: "Well, you do look venerable, and who doesn't like grilled chicken?"
Col: "If you're quick about it, I'll make sure there's some cole slaw in it for you, son."
Sec: "Right this way, sir!"
Col: "You're doing a grand job. Here, have a warm biscuit and some honey."
posted by filthy light thief at 6:50 PM on October 26, 2009 [18 favorites]

I gotta say, The King and Jack had best step up their game.
posted by mwhybark at 6:54 PM on October 26, 2009 [2 favorites]

No, that they did let him through security instead of going, "Hey, that's some corporate stooge! Stop him!" Which is the gist of the article title, that there must be great whopping holes in UN security if they're letting this clown in.

Well that seems like a pretty good reason to be upset. So your original comment was wrong then?
posted by DU at 6:55 PM on October 26, 2009

Right now I am betting that Roger Eaton is plotting to have the head of the ad guy who thought up this ridiculous stunt on a platter in his office by tomorrow morning.
posted by localroger at 6:55 PM on October 26, 2009

Ugh. Do let's not help them make this go viral.
posted by dunkadunc at 6:58 PM on October 26, 2009 [4 favorites]

Dr A Treki didn't recognize him? I guess he must have known the Vulcan salute.
posted by Joe in Australia at 7:08 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

I predict a near future where gimmicky viral advertisers stoop to the level of committing serial rape, murder, and terrorist attacks.
posted by tkchrist at 7:11 PM on October 26, 2009 [9 favorites]

He did it for the show.
Meanwhile his kids were hiding in the attic in a greasy cardboard box.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:16 PM on October 26, 2009 [6 favorites]

"You got marketing in my metafilter!"
"Well, you got metafilter in my marketing!"

Can't we all just settle down and stop bickering about viral marketing and bond over shared Reese's Pieces?
posted by sebastienbailard at 7:20 PM on October 26, 2009

Never mind me, I'm all grumpy and slow after having three whopper juniors, a large chocolate shake and a pint of beer while watching the new Venture Brothers. Never Again.
posted by dunkadunc at 7:27 PM on October 26, 2009

Who would doubt the integrity of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel?
posted by leotrotsky at 7:32 PM on October 26, 2009 [8 favorites]

That kind of publicity comes at a cost. The UN anti-hunger programs are gonna be milking KFC for donations for a lo-ong time...
posted by wendell at 7:33 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is all viral-ly and Pepsi Blue-ish, but on the other hand, well.

Teehee!
posted by EarBucket at 7:35 PM on October 26, 2009

Can't be bothered to read the whole article. So did the UN admit the new nation or didn't they?
posted by hermitosis at 7:35 PM on October 26, 2009 [5 favorites]

This reminds me of the time Hamburglar crashed Davos.
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 7:36 PM on October 26, 2009 [2 favorites]

Real men broil their chicken wings and drumsticks. Pardon my xenophobia, but I like the crisp skin and consistent results.

As far as grilling goes, I believe it's just not chicken's forte. Too hot and fast. It works best by cooking a whole bird relatively slowly, which is not what you get from KFC.
posted by mccarty.tim at 7:43 PM on October 26, 2009

I don't see the issue, really. The guards responded to the situation normally. They saw a ridiculous and self-important looking middle-aged man, and let him into the United Nations. If you have a better plan for world peace, I would like to hear it.
posted by Sova at 7:48 PM on October 26, 2009 [14 favorites]

Sometimes truth is stranger than chicken.
posted by jeremy b at 7:53 PM on October 26, 2009 [5 favorites]

The Other Colonel
posted by HP LaserJet P10006 at 7:58 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

HP LaserJet P10006: "This reminds me of the time Hamburglar crashed Davos."


Yeah, and then someone posted his bail letter on their blog!

Also, HP LJ, wtf is up with you dropping port assignments all the time? I'm up to *here* with the add/remove printers thing!
posted by mwhybark at 8:07 PM on October 26, 2009

UN Security Guard: Got any ID?

Fake Col. Sanders: 'Bout what?
posted by netbros at 8:10 PM on October 26, 2009 [8 favorites]

This is why Colonel Muammar Gaddafi is still a colonel. He knows the power that it holds around the U.N.
posted by Frank Grimes at 8:14 PM on October 26, 2009 [4 favorites]

there must be great whopping holes in UN security if they're letting this clown in.

Get your facts straight, man. The clown works for the other side, and I understand he was in consultations at the Vatican at the time anyway.
posted by No-sword at 8:17 PM on October 26, 2009

Right now I am betting that Roger Eaton is plotting to have the head of the ad guy who thought up this ridiculous stunt on a platter in his office by tomorrow morning.

Are you kidding me? News coverage of your brand? That explicitly mentions your new branding message ("Grilled Nation"). That's an impossible media buy. The only thing that he'd be likely to be pissed about is the fact that there isn't enough coverage.

P.S. Fuck. We missed Free Chicken Day.
posted by dersins at 8:21 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is certainly better than the lame-as KFC half-time show at the Victory/Adelaide game the other day, and accordingly I support it.
posted by pompomtom at 8:25 PM on October 26, 2009

"There was some lapse in security and the individual in question . . . was, on the initiative of one security guard, taken . . . into the UN."

I feel bad for the one security guard who has been selected as scapegoat.
posted by ook at 8:27 PM on October 26, 2009

Who would doubt the integrity of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel?

Bud.

This reminds me of the time Hamburglar crashed Davos.

I initially read that as "the time the Hamburglar crashed Davros" and wondered if that was why he got encased in the Captain Pike setup, and maybe the Daleks started as anti-Hamburgling troops.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:31 PM on October 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

The real Col. was a diplomat:

"That friggin' ... outfit .... They prostituted every goddamn thing I had. I had the greatest gravy in the world and those sons of bitches they dragged it out and extended it and watered it down that I'm so goddamn mad."

I'm sure he'd endorse the company's modern-day shenanigans too.
posted by mazola at 8:35 PM on October 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

This is certainly better than the lame-as KFC half-time show at the Victory/Adelaide game the other day

i understand that captain smythe of queensland boiled wombat attempted to get into the u n later today and was rudely shown the door

rumor has it that the mascot for taiwanese smoked bat is making similar plans - now, we're talking international incident
posted by pyramid termite at 8:36 PM on October 26, 2009

Who knew so many MeFites like chicken?
posted by milestogo at 8:44 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

If there was a KFC in my town, I would buy myself lunch there tomorrow in appreciation of a prank well done.
posted by Kickstart70 at 8:47 PM on October 26, 2009

A lot of UN outrage over virtually nothing. A fake Colonel made a mockery of the UN? Happens all the time.
posted by Daddy-O at 8:53 PM on October 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

If there was a KFC in my town, I would buy myself lunch there tomorrow in appreciation of a prank well done.

You realize there's a marketer reading that comment and beating off, right?
posted by sebastienbailard at 8:54 PM on October 26, 2009 [5 favorites]

Mod note: few comments removed - seriously??
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 9:03 PM on October 26, 2009

My friend Marty saw this guy (apparently on his way to the UN), took a picture of him, and sent it around to some friends.

He is gonna love this.
posted by ocherdraco at 9:08 PM on October 26, 2009

P.S. Fuck. We missed Free Chicken Day.

I didn't. I walked right into local KFC that evening and asked for my piece. I believe it was one of the franchise owners who handed me, wordlessly and without a smile or even eye contact, a tired little thigh in a greasy little cardboard box. The grill marks looked fake and the chicken was not exactly tasty. It was actually kind of gross. I haven't been back.
posted by longsleeves at 9:18 PM on October 26, 2009

as someone working in advertising I am rather shocked that a corporation, even a fast food franchise owner,* would sanction this. okay, this could have been a funny prank by one individual but they signed off on it? what's going to happen here is the same thing as always: some low-level employees, probably the security guard in question plus two or three token supervisors that make two bucks an hour more, are going to be fired and the ones responsible for hiring low-quality employees in the first place (can you say 'fiduciary responsibilities' without laughing?) will wash their hands stating they did address the matter.

this is a classic example of someone not thinking their actions through to the end. they didn't consider what their actions could do to the lives they'd touch. they just had a semi-funny idea for a tv commercial and thought they'd do this as a viral instead because it would be cheaper or because it's the thing to do at present.

if there was an agency involved, I want to see the credits for this campaign. anyone know?

*=not known to be a timid bunch
posted by krautland at 9:23 PM on October 26, 2009 [2 favorites]

It's about time the UN openly recognizes the statehood of multinational corporations with photo-ops and meet-n-greets. Brought to you by Carl's Jr.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 9:27 PM on October 26, 2009 [3 favorites]

In appreciation for his generous gift of chicken, the UN has appointed Col. Sanders to head its new Animal Rights Tribunal.
posted by problemspace at 9:30 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

From a security perspective, this is bad. No doubt there are flamethrowers of rage lighting up all over the UN about this and I'd be very surprised if more than just the one scapegoat didn't get fired.

So, well-played KFC! You may be the subsidiary of $11 Billion Yum! Brands and the largest fast food corporation in the world, but that Colonel sure is a funny, scrappy, down-home maverick.
posted by empyrean at 9:53 PM on October 26, 2009

Hey well at least it was pen testing, not an actual malicious attack right?
posted by wuwei at 9:59 PM on October 26, 2009 [2 favorites]

the next time Hugo Chavez takes the UN podium he will smell not the lingering brimstone of Satan but eleven herbs and spices
posted by Hammond Rye at 10:03 PM on October 26, 2009 [10 favorites]

I had to give a course at a UN centre recently. We got fairly high-tech passes that let us through internal doors as well as go through a lower-grade checking process upon entering the building.

Although it said "must be returned to staff" in big unfriendly letters on it, it also had the expiry date clearly embossed through the photograph. So I thought they probably wouldn't really mind if I took it home.

But after lunch on the last day, the permanent staff hovered. And when they found out one of the lecturers had skipped the last session in order to catch an early plane, the woman who had acted as our host went pale and immediately dispached security to the airport to retrieve the tag.

So they're going to be a bit miffed at this.
posted by hawthorne at 10:11 PM on October 26, 2009 [1 favorite]

This is pretty much the scuzziest thing I've read about all day.

Stay classy, KFC.
posted by Ouisch at 11:44 PM on October 26, 2009

This is both hilarious and ass.
posted by dirigibleman at 11:56 PM on October 26, 2009

It's about time the UN openly recognizes the statehood of multinational corporations with photo-ops and meet-n-greets

For some multinationals, statehood would be a step down in status. I'm thinking of Dole in its heyday, although I'm sure Shell, Chevron, Halliburton, etc... would also qualify.
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:19 AM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

But after lunch on the last day, the permanent staff hovered. And when they found out one of the lecturers had skipped the last session in order to catch an early plane, the woman who had acted as our host went pale and immediately dispached security to the airport to retrieve the tag.

Badge security procedures are a big deal at the UN, they take it very seriously. I'm happy to have played a part in making that happen. But that's a story for another day.
posted by scalefree at 12:44 AM on October 27, 2009

This made me laugh so much.

Thanks
posted by past at 1:23 AM on October 27, 2009

Ms. Montas warned the UN could take legal action against the company, whose letter, signed by KFC president Roger Eaton, asked that the secretary general register the "Grilled Nation" of grilled chicken eaters as the 193rd UN member state.

Hahaha. (also, what the hell is the deal with all these websites inserting ads into the clipboard when you try to copy something out. WTF!?)
posted by delmoi at 2:01 AM on October 27, 2009

So government, diplomacy, and fast food marketing should be kept separate? Next you'll tell me that computer operating systems and fast food marketing should be kept separate!
posted by Obscure Reference at 4:44 AM on October 27, 2009

if there was an agency involved, I want to see the credits for this campaign. anyone know?

"Draftfcb is the agency behind [KFC's] current 'Unthink KFC' ad campaign." (geddit? UNthink? ugh.) As hired by Yum! Brands. I agree this is really irresponsible marketing. And it appears to be part of a somewhat larger ad campaign (as seen here).

+ everything krautland said.

Just one step closer to the King running pantsless across the White House lawn.
posted by shemko at 5:22 AM on October 27, 2009

Oh, the U.N. missed a golden opportunity. They could have clapped him in irons and whisked him off to The Hague to stand trial for his crimes.
posted by steef at 5:23 AM on October 27, 2009

For all those who think KFC violated this holy institution that doesn't do any kind of corporate shilling, I direct your attention to this "news story". Yes, fictional character Tinker Bell has been named UN Honorary Ambassador of Green.

Here's the incriminating video.

By extreme coincidence, the new DVD/Blu-Ray "Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure" is in stores today.

Thank God the UN doesn't play favorites with which companies it chooses to lie with.
posted by inturnaround at 5:32 AM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

What's the matter Colonel Sanders.... chicken?
posted by sciurus at 5:43 AM on October 27, 2009

I have trouble eating at KFC ever since I drove by one of the local franchises and their sign outside said "Liver and Gizzards are here!" As advertising. Saying you should go to a fast food joint to get liver and gizzards. This might cancel that out, if they play it right.

Brought to you by Carl's Jr.

It's Hardees, sir. And I'll be calling it that no matter how many stars you put on the sign out front, and how many $6 Thickburgers you make me eat.*

*Disclaimer: I've never had a Thickburger, Six Dollar Burger, or anything other than breakfast at a Hardees. Especially since they started dropping things in their commercials. I do love the regional branding differences that seems to separate the South from the rest of the world: Krystal v White Castle, Hardees v Carl's Jr., Chick-Fil-A v ...y'all need to get some of those...</small
posted by This Guy at 5:51 AM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

The real Harland 'Colonel' Sanders typically wore a white suit and string bow tie, but he has been dead since 1980.

So the UN got punked by a ghost?

The grill marks looked fake and the chicken was not exactly tasty. It was actually kind of gross.

Well, it's full of nasty stuff, but only one carcinogen.
posted by kirkaracha at 6:02 AM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

I don't see the issue, really. The guards responded to the situation normally. They saw a ridiculous and self-important looking middle-aged man, and let him into the United Nations.

I think the "issue" is that being "self-important looking" should NOT be sufficient grounds to gain entry to the UN in the first place.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 6:33 AM on October 27, 2009

Oh, I hate the Colonel, with his wee, beady eyes.
posted by brand-gnu at 6:34 AM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

*Dons David Caruso sunglasses*

Guess the UN should have...doubled down on security.

*hangs head in shame*
posted by anthom at 6:54 AM on October 27, 2009

A marketing stunt? I had assumed he was there to meet with General Tso.
posted by snofoam at 6:57 AM on October 27, 2009 [2 favorites]

There is no America. There is no democracy. There is only IBM, and ITT, and AT&T, and DuPont, Dow, Union Carbide, and Exxon. Those are the nations of the world today. What do you think the Russians talk about in their councils of state, Karl Marx? They get out their linear programming charts, statistical decision theories, minimax solutions, and compute the price-cost probabilities of their transactions and investments, just like we do. We no longer live in a world of nations and ideologies, Mr. Beale. The world is a college of corporations, inexorably determined by the immutable bylaws of business.
posted by shakespeherian at 7:02 AM on October 27, 2009 [4 favorites]

Hurf durf chicken eaters. I'm not certain this was crazily irresponsible advertising because I'm certain everyone involved planned him to NOT BE ADMITTED BY U.N. security. In that case it was just dumb advertising, or lame, but not vastly irresponsible. Of course now the surreality of the whole matter makes them vulnerable to lawsuits from the U.N. and from The Onion.

Also what the hell is up with this part-- "That letter is absolutely void to us; it has no meaning whatsoever," Ms. Montas said. "The UN cannot be involved in a commercial venture. Period. This is being touched upon by our legal department."

Was there a competition for the most unnecessary statement of the week or something? Did a reporter ask her "So when is the Grilled Nation being admitted to the U.N." and she didn't just fall over laughing as a response??

Also the owner of KFC is Yum! Brands which is a spinoff of PepsiCo, making this officially Pepsi Bluetastic.
posted by haveanicesummer at 7:04 AM on October 27, 2009

as someone working in advertising I am rather shocked that a corporation, even a fast food franchise owner,* would sanction this

I think we need to consider the possibility that Colonel Sanders has gone rogue.
posted by jefficator at 7:06 AM on October 27, 2009 [5 favorites]

This is poised to be the biggest fast-food marketing-related international issue since Burger King accused Wendy's of being communist.
posted by jefficator at 7:07 AM on October 27, 2009

I went to a Yes Men presentation at MIT last night, and I was certain when I skimmed this post last night that this was some sort of political statement, and it made me chuckle.

Today, on re-reading, it makes me weep.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 7:30 AM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

I have trouble eating at KFC ever since I drove by one of the local franchises and their sign outside said "Liver and Gizzards are here!"

What's wrong with liver and gizzards? Admittedly, I'm not sure I'd want to get any from KFC. I remember the liver at Brown's Chicken in Chicago was pretty good.

I do love the regional branding differences that seems to separate the South from the rest of the world: Krystal v White Castle, Hardees v Carl's Jr.,

Krystal and White Castle are actually different chains though. Carl's Jr and Hardees are the same thing.

And as to KFC grilled chicken: as a lover of grilled/rotisserie chicken, I can definitively say KFC's is absolutely horrid. Tiny dry pieces with all the life sucked out of them.
posted by kmz at 7:31 AM on October 27, 2009

This is like when White Castle visited the League of Nations and presented its 'Crave' mandate, yes?
posted by mazola at 7:32 AM on October 27, 2009

Chamber of Commerce Sues Yes Men for Prank
posted by Hammond Rye at 8:26 AM on October 27, 2009

i've tried to favourite these comments in exact proportion to my ambivalence towards this situation, but it may not be enough
posted by doobiedoo at 8:36 AM on October 27, 2009

Did he get a photo op with that culinary head of state, Burger King?

Monarchy? Undemocratic!
Colonel Sanders? Military dictator!
Ronald McDonald? Puppet on a string!
Wendy? Probably okay.
posted by grubi at 8:50 AM on October 27, 2009

*Dons David Caruso sunglasses*

Guess the UN should have...doubled down on security.

*hangs head in shame*

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!
posted by grubi at 9:00 AM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

So, did the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel get UN recognition for his burbclave?
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 9:45 AM on October 27, 2009

This is the most disgusting thing I've ever heard. Could this company BE more disrespectful?

Grilled Nation my asshole. It's Kentucky FRIED Chicken, you monsters!
posted by dirtdirt at 10:27 AM on October 27, 2009

This is pretty much the scuzziest thing I've read about all day.

Um. Check the news again.

As much as I hate marketing/advertising, I laughed. Great fucking photo op.

If it was the Yes Men (for what reason, I dunno), everyone would be loving it (for what reason, I dunno).
posted by mrgrimm at 12:38 PM on October 27, 2009

I and some of my guys pointed out this kind of security flaw years ago. No one thinks the opposing force is going to infiltrate anything wearing a gorilla suit. And yet a greasy chicken seller can get into the U.N. just 'cos he's in a white suit and is recognizable. Doesn't surprise me at all. Your most exploitable point is always going to be human.

...of course, I'm not one of those guys that doesn't like saying 'I told you so.' But mostly because no one ever listens. The stupider it looks, odds are the more dangerous it is. Even if it's not intentionally so.
If someone else did this, shaken the GA President's hand, patted his back, placed a little "Assassinated" sticky on the back of his suit coat, no one would have believed it and they would have just carried on as usual: "Oh, no one could really get into the U.N. like that"
Uh huh. Because all the bad guys scream at you, wear keffiyeh or pakul and carry large greasy packages.
While I think they should stomp KFC (even though the company did them a favor by revealing this flaw), they should still seriously revamp their security and deliver asskicks to the folks running it.
Still - this kind of viral ad shit is getting completely divorced from reality. There are real security concerns, there are actual lives that are threatened, but no, we just gotta f'ing shill our fried chicken because we don't have enough goddamn money.

I mean from the other side what's KFC going to do if someone else, a bit more on the ball, realizes Col. Sanders isn't supposed to be there and certainly someone unauthorized should not that get close to the president of the general assembly and shoots him (because we know he's harmless? We know he doesn't have anything nasty on his hand? We know he doesn't have a ricin tipped needle on his ring? (Yeah, what paranoid craziness))

Although "Col. Sanders gunned down at U.N." would make a nice headline.
It'd make me chuckle more than this.
posted by Smedleyman at 4:56 PM on October 27, 2009

THAT is brill on so many levels!

I don't think the UN has a leg to stand on by crying foul [fuck, sorry], the 'Colonel' was escorted past security checks by an UN guard. Nice of them to point their finger at KFC/Yum, when the fault lies at their feet. Suing for embarassment? Spent too much on security and ended up failing at the minimum wage guard? How's that vetting process going, hmmmm?

The fact the ad agency/KFC sent a letter of intent [re:Grilled nation] — come on, the lights are on, but nobody home? Michele Montas [spokeswoman for UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon] is wrong assuming the letter is void and that it has no meaning. If their lawyers are like the security there, then they're fucked.

As a campaign, it bloody worked out better than imagined for Draffcb and KFC. UN OTOH, get the finger.


The Mr. Clean folks are pissed they didn't think of it.
Send him in to clean up!UN
posted by alicesshoe at 6:07 PM on October 27, 2009 [1 favorite]

Does this mean the letter of marque and reprisal that I got from Long John Silver's is no good?
posted by BrotherCaine at 12:38 AM on October 28, 2009 [4 favorites]