KFC puts the colonel back in the chicken - USA TODAY
Harland Sanders Tuesday as the folksy centerpiece of its Kentucky Fried Chicken rebranding campaign. Sanders' comeback from his long-held status as a caricature on the bucket of fried chicken to main spokesman for the brand may herald KFC's yearning for its mid-century glory days. In 1999, for example, KFC stores in the U. S. held 39. 7 percent of market share in the limited service chicken segment, compared with just 8. 7 percent for Chick-fil-A. Fast forward 15 years and Chick-fil-A's U. S. market share has soared to 27. 8 percent, while KFC has shrunk to 20. 2 percent, according to an analysis by Technomic and Janney Capital Markets. A KFC spokesperson did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment Tuesday on the new marketing campaign. Analysts say attention for the brand is long overdue in the U. S. , where consumers have gravitated to healthier fare, even if they pay a little more at outlets like Chick-fil-A and Chipotle. Using the familiar face to sell more fried chicken on the bone appears to be "a half-hearted way to re-examine the quick chicken business," Janney analyst Mark Kalinowski said in an interview Monday. Other Yum concepts, he added, like a Super Chix near Dallas, Texas, focus on the Chick-fil-A formula of a chicken breast sandwich on a bun and frozen custard. Super Chix "seems like a better way to examine the market that doesn't involve the KFC brand," he added. Source: www.usatoday.com
