Can you KFC it?

In the competitive world of fast food, It’s all about who gets the best media space. In Bucharest, Romania, that can be found at the Metro subway with outdoor real estate seen monthly by 10 million hungry travelers. Here, KFC discovered it had an undisputable asset.

It so happens that one Bucharest subway line is shaped just like a chicken drumstick—and it sits right in the middle of the map. So we partnered with the Bucharest subway company and created special maps that highlighted the drumstick-shaped line, with a simple question: Can you KFC it?

Billboards featuring the modified map accompanied commuters throughout the subway and in nearby KFC restaurants. We also added arrow-shaped stickers on the regular maps to drive the message home. Commuters could also scan the drumstick on any subway map for KFC discounts or embark on a full drumstick tour to win a bucket of chicken. And those could be redeemed at any KFC restaurants, many of which are right outside subway exits.

Truth Well Told: The fortuitous discovery of a drumstick in one of the city’s most visible and visited areas turned the Bucharest subway map into an enduring out of home campaign worth $2.2 million in OOH ad space with just a 50K media buy, leading to a 5% sales increase for KFC in Bucharest.