KFC challenges convention with new MENA campaign

The initiative, developed with creative agency TBWA\RAAD, will influence everything from menu innovation and restaurant design to digital experiences, social content and cultural activations.

KFC has launched A Taste of What's Next, a regional brand platform designed to reshape its customer experience across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The launch marks a strategic shift in how KFC engages consumers across the region, with a focus on product experimentation, personalisation and challenging established category conventions. The platform targets consumers seeking different experiences and greater freedom to customise their choices.

KFC builds anticipation through campaign activation

Ahead of the announcement, KFC ran a teaser campaign that involved listing original restaurant buckets, neon signs and sauces for sale on Dubizzle and Facebook Marketplace under the message A chapter is coming to an end.

Creators who purchased the items received their orders at home, prompting conversations about the brand's next direction and building anticipation for the platform launch.

KFC introduces a new approach to chicken experiences

The platform extends beyond advertising to influence the wider KFC experience. It focuses on introducing different flavours, encouraging meal customisation and creating experiences that challenge consumer expectations.

One of the first initiatives is KFC MIX'D, a mix-your-own chicken experience that gives customers greater control over flavour combinations and meal choices.

Ahmed Arafa, Chief Marketing Officer, KFC MENAPAKT and CCA: "‘A Taste of What’s Next’ represents an exciting new chapter for KFC across MENA. KFC has created the chicken category, and being first is part of who we are. Our research across thousands of consumers was clear: people love KFC, but they expect it to evolve with them. We are backing a generation that challenges sameness, embraces what’s different and is always looking ahead. Rather than waiting for the future of chicken to arrive, we’re serving it now, one new flavor, experience and rule-breaking moment at a time."

KFC campaign challenges everyday conventions

The launch is supported by a hero film depicting a young man whose daily routine is governed by rules and repetitive patterns. As he breaks away from the predictable sequence of his day, his previously grey surroundings transform into colour.

The film communicates the campaign's central invitation to consumers: to challenge routine and make their own choices.

The wider rollout spans KFC markets across MENA through hero content, outdoor advertising, digital and social storytelling, and creator partnerships.

TBWA\RAAD supports KFC's regional brand direction

Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer, TBWA\RAAD: "KFC has always been a disruptor at heart, and ‘A Taste of What’s Next’ gives that spirit a bold new voice. It takes courage for a category leader to put its own past up for sale and break with its conventions, and to do it in a way that’s rooted in the culture of this region. We’re excited to keep challenging the norms of the category with KFC, and to shape what’s next for chicken together."

The platform establishes a broader direction for KFC's engagement with consumers across MENA, combining menu development, creative campaigns and cultural experiences to encourage experimentation and strengthen the brand's relevance.

www.kfc.com

www.tbwaraad.com

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