Add some flavor to your stay

Creative and unorthodox advertising campaigns have the ability to embed a company’s brand in the minds of the public for eternity. These campaigns can come in the form of commercials, billboards, slogans, and/or experiences that represent or are directly aligned with a brand’s messaging, values or principles. This doesn’t mean that doing something out-of-the-box automatically positions a brand in the right light, of course. Garnering this type of attention is often accompanied by significant backlash, as we see in apology letters and statements from company executives across social media and in major news publications. But, one can argue that you can’t please everyone, so there will always be some level of a divide in public sentiment regardless of what you do. 

One company that has an evident willingness to experiment with its marketing campaigns and tactics is Yum Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM). As you probably know, Yum Brands is a restaurant group that owns well-known international fast-food franchises like KFC, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. For example, this year, the company is picking up where they left off in 2019 with their Taco Bell-themed hotel experience.

Consumers will have the ability to “Chick-In” to their KFC-themed suites at the House of Harland hotel in the United Kingdom. Guests will get picked up in a cool Black Cadillac (NYSE: GM) called the “Colonelmobile.” Each room will come equipped with a “Finger-Lickin’ Press for Chicken” button and a Hot Winger Arcade Machine to keep things spicy during your stay. Beyond this, all the proceeds will be going towards the KFC Foundation. Hopefully, this will make you feel slightly better about filling your belly with some greasy and delicious fried chicken during your stay. 

For many, this idea of a Fried Chicken hotel probably seems unnecessary or weird. But, this spirit of being willing to test and experiment in areas that are by no means obvious takes a certain level of courage and vision to execute it in a fun and powerful way. These are the types of experiences that are memorable. It puts your brand in the conversation as people look to their social circles to see what they think and if they would be willing to go, in this case. It’s not about being some creative genius or marketing savant. 

Still, it’s this desire to do something cool, something different, or something people have simply never seen before. In a world filled with generic billboard advertising, infinitely recreated social media trends, and 30-second explainer videos, the idea of sleeping on a drumstick-looking pillow sounds more appealing by the minute.