Cluckin’ speechless: KFC’s 'Hot & Spicy' range makes a comeback in Australia

Ad Nut loves food. There, Ad Nut said it. For you see, food doesn’t just satisfy the taste buds—it ignites the senses long before it touches the tongue. We hear the sizzle, see the steam rising, and feel the anticipation build. With every touch of the shiny hull of an untapped acorn, Ad Nut's pulse rises, sending electric jolts of joy, taking over a squirrel's facultires like a tiding wave of salty ocean water on a summery day—and that visual, my non-woodlands friends, is why Ad Nut loves food.

It seems that today’s fast-paced world of advertising agrees. For the way food is perceived—through sight, sound, and even the imagination—plays a critical role in how it’s experienced. For KFC, this understanding is at the heart of its latest campaign for the return of the 'Hot & Spicy' range.

In this latest effort, KFC has turned its popular range into a sensation that speaks for itself—quite literally. Launched this week, the new campaign, 'The flavour has spoken', takes viewers through a series of moments where the intensity of KFC’s Hot & Spicy offerings leaves consumers tongue-tied and unable to articulate anything coherent after tasting the product. In a clever play on the senses, the message is: Sometimes, the flavour speaks louder than words.

The campaign has been rolled out across television, out-of-home (OOH), radio, social media, earned media, in-restaurant, and digital channels this week. Created by Ogilvy in collaboration with KFC’s agency partners Ogilvy PR, EssenceMediacom, AKQA, and Design Intoto, the initiative is integrated including an ad film, stills and social-media assets.

Tami Cunningham, CMO at KFC Australia, highlighted the long-standing fan demand for the range’s return: “The return of our fan-favourite Hot & Spicy has not only enabled us to have some fun with our 'Did Someone Say KFC' brand asset, but it’s also offering fans yet another unforgettable KFC flavour experience."

As part of the campaign, Ogilvy PR has also developed an activation at Sydney’s Spice Alley, where KFC will host a world-first ‘Colonel’s Spice House’ experience—featuring TikTok star Dimsimlum, alongside pre-launch activities across various platforms to engage fans.

While Ad Nut is not a consumer of the carnal flesh of the young chicken (sometimes found in the woodlands depending on season and luck), it does recognise its ability to be rather tasty to the human tongue. The coating is golden and adorning, much like the nuts Ad Nut hunts for. Plus, the idea of being so full of your favourite food that you can't speak as it tantalises your senses is one Ad Nut can get behind. So, while this squirrel isn't keen on frying its luck anytime soon with its feathery friends, it wishes KFC plenty of cluck with this new endeavour. 

CREDITS

Strategy and creative: Ogilvy
PR: Ogilvy PR
Digital: AKQA
Media: Essence Mediacom
In-restaurant: Design Intoto
Production: Hogarth
Production company: Hooves
Director: Jason Perini
Stills photographer: Karima Asaad

Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'.