Thought I’d offer a brief background for the KFC ad, so we’re all on the same historical page, even if our perspectives vary. KFC has been doing series of ads for the Australian cricket games for a number of years. They usually run the series around a specific product. One year the featured item was a new set of sandwiches KFC called Fillers. Another year, a bucket of chicken calledThe Backyard Bucket took the star role. An athlete is chosen to do the series. It’s all rather basic marketing, really.
This year, a pro-player named Mick was selected to film the series KFC calls Mick & the Survivor’s Guide to Cricket. The particular episode causing the kerfuffle in America finds our hero (Mick) at a West Indies game, surrounded by West Indies fans all dancing and singing and poor Mick, outnumbered and alone, can’t see the field. Enter KFC’s latest advertising concoction, a giant bucket of chicken called “The Crowd Pleaser”. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Something to know about Cricket: While the cricket season is the average for most sports, four months long, a single game can last between one and eight days. The day game is so long teams actually have to break for lunch. Teams fly throughout the entire season, criss-crossing the countries involved including Australia, Great Britain, West Indies, India, Pakistan, and more.

Something to know about West Indies: Evidently the folks in West Indies love chicken so much there is literally a KFC outlet in every nrighbourhood. Often more than one. And West Indians love their cricket and have a great sense of humour.

Leesa sent us this youtube link. Watching it encouraged me to look for more. It wasn’t exactly how I’d planned on spending my day, but in the end it was pretty worth the time and effort spent. I hope you enjoy them all.

(NBC Los Angeles) The Filter: Our topic begins at 3:12 It should actually make you feel better about ‘people’ in general.

(Fox News) Bill O’Reilly: This one, however, should scare the crap out of you.

Korean KFC Ad: This one should make you bellylaugh right out loud.

(HBO) The Racist Test: This one will be hard to understand if you’re not accustomed to a heavy British accent. Crank up the volume and play it through twice – you’ll get it and be glad you did. It’s hilarious.

Here’s a link for the entire library of clever and cute KFC Cricket ads. I found a couple of my favourites on youtube to embed for you.

Cricket Ad: The helicopter

Cricket Ad: Never take your eye off the ball

And then I found this – an Oz ad made for India cricket. It’s been labelled the absolute worst Cricket ad ever made – and it was done by Cadbury (the Chocolate people).

I howled. Then howled again. But it’s ok, Im not a racist. Just Greek

Thank you, all, for your great comments and contributions. I love a good discussion!

To comment on this post, please scroll to the title Sometimes a Bucket of Chicken is Just a Bucket of Chicken (cont.) and click the word comment just beneath. Thanks,OzMud