Malaysia – Tasked with redefining KFC Malaysia’s brand proposition in conjunction with its 50th Anniversary in 2023, global brand and customer experience agency VMLY&R created ‘Kentucky Town’, an immersive experience for customers and fans of the restaurant chain.
Located at the Sunway Pyramid blue concourse in Kuala Lumpur, Kentucky Town was open to the public from July 4 to July 10, 2023. In partnership with KFC, VMLY&R planned and executed on-ground activations and communications around the event.
The program also coincided with International Fried Chicken Day on July 6 and was planned in the run-up to International Friendship Day on July 30. The creation of ‘Kentucky Town’ will also be leading to a series of additional events expected through the rest of the year.
Kentucky Town featured a secret menu, which included items such as ‘ Savours Cracklin Gold Crunch’, ‘Korean Cheesy paper wrap’, ‘Samyang Buldak Double Down’, and more. The brand also collaborated with Malaysia’s cartoonist legend Ujang, and Pestle and Mortar, a popular, hype Malaysia streetwear brand to produce a curated streetwear collection called ‘Aku Budak Kepci’.
Using VMLY&R’s proprietary Intel Lab to gather data on KFC Malaysia’s next generation of consumers, the agency focused on Gen Z’s values of seeking genuine connections and trendy experiences that allow them to feel part of the group. Based on this, the program featured activities such as an AR friendship tunnel, a virtual friendship mirror, a friendship tub photo space, and Kentucky Town Cooks motion capture game. Friendship-themed games were also hosted for the duration of the event, and International Fried Chicken Day saw chicken giveaways.
Commenting on the event, Premnath Unnikrishnan, chief marketing officer of KFC Malaysia, said, “Unforgettable experiences are at the heart of Kentucky Town, with every aspect thoughtfully curated to leave a lasting impression on visitors. KFC aims to create an enduring memory that will entice them to return, time and again, for the exceptional dining experience the brand is known for.”
Meanwhile, Sean Lim, head of brand experiential and activation, VMLY&R Malaysia, commented, “We know that the youth need to experience and feel – to form a bond with the brand therefore we made their town, Kentucky Town a completely multi-sensorial activation, bringing many activities together for an ultimate experience. Super fresh, exciting work, and a fantastic collaboration with our client in bringing to life an end-to-end Brand and Customer Experience with youth at its heart!”
