What’s happening — KFC UK & Ireland seeks a new PR agency
- According to a report from today, KFC UK & Ireland has opened a closed pitch to select a new “consumer communications / PR agency” to handle its public‑relations across the UK & Ireland. (PRWeek)
- This marks a change after its previous agency relationship (for PR/communications) — though the report doesn’t name which agency KFC is replacing or the reason for the change. (PRWeek)
- The call is described as a “search for a new consumer communications agency,” reflecting KFC’s desire to reset or refresh how it handles its PR, media relations, and overall public‑facing communications strategy. (PRWeek)
In short: KFC UK & Ireland is actively looking for a new firm to take over its PR/communications account. This suggests a strategic shift or re-evaluation of how the fast-food chain wants to manage its communications and public image now and going forward.
Background — Prior Agency Setup and Recent Marketing/Comms Moves at KFC UK & Ireland
- In April 2024, KFC UK & Ireland appointed a London‑based agency, Uncovered, as its social‑media agency following a competitive pitch. That agency has been handling KFC’s social media output. (marketing-beat.co.uk)
- Meanwhile, KFC’s creative advertising account (for TV / film / creative ads) remains with Mother London — which has recently created some high‑visibility, bold (and controversial) campaigns for the brand. (marketing-beat.co.uk)
- Thus far, the “communications/PR” side seems to have been managed internally, or through other agency relationships — but now KFC is explicitly calling for a new external agency to handle consumer communications (PR). (PRWeek)
This new search likely doesn’t affect social media or creative‑ad agencies (they remain in place), but is focused on “consumer communications / PR.”
Why This Matters — What Could Be Driving the Change & What It Signals
A few plausible reasons and implications for KFC’s decision — based on industry context and KFC’s recent activities:
- Need for a more specialized or refreshed PR strategy: As KFC continues to launch bold advertising (some controversial — e.g. the “gravy cult” / “Believe”‑style campaigns), it may want a PR agency with fresh perspective, crisis‑management skills, or more aggressive media relations to manage brand reputation.
- Aligning communications with growth plans: KFC UK & Ireland recently announced a major expansion plan — investing heavily to open new restaurants, create jobs, upgrade sites, and grow footprint across UK & Ireland. (restaurantonline.co.uk) With such growth, PR becomes more important (launches, community outreach, stakeholder communications, public perception).
- Desire for integrated communications across channels: With existing social media handled by Uncovered and creative advertising by Mother London, appointing a new PR agency could help unify brand messaging — ensuring that advertising, social, PR, corporate communications all speak with a consistent voice.
- Managing increased scrutiny and public expectations: As KFC expands and becomes more visible (new restaurants, job creation, supply‑chain investments), it may face greater public and media scrutiny — on issues like food quality, nutrition, sustainability, labour practices. A skilled PR partner could help navigate that.
- Strategic repositioning under new leadership/management changes: KFC has seen leadership and structural changes in recent years (marketing directors, brand strategy roles, etc.). (marketing-beat.co.uk) This move may reflect a broader reorganization of how KFC handles brand‑ and public‑facing work.
What Industry / Observers Are Saying (Comments & Expectations)
- The fact that KFC has opened a closed pitch suggests they may want a premium or boutique PR agency, not just run‑of‑the‑mill large‑network firm. This could reflect KFC’s ambition to reset its communications strategy to match its growth and expansion plans. (Inferred from the pitch type and brand scale)
- Given KFC’s recent marketing style — bold, edgy, sometimes provocative — some observers expect the new PR agency will need strong crisis‑management capabilities and creative media relations — to manage potential backlash while amplifying campaign reach effectively.
- Others note that with KFC launching major expansion (restaurants, investments, jobs), there’s a big opportunity: a good PR agency could help position KFC as not just a fast‑food brand, but a significant economic & community stakeholder — offering local jobs, community development, and growth.
- On the flip side, choosing the “wrong” agency or mismanaging communications could risk reputational damage — especially if growth plans clash with public concerns (nutrition, sustainability, labor). So the agency selection seems consequential beyond ordinary marketing.
What to Watch — What This Could Mean in the Next 6–12 Months for KFC UK & Ireland
If KFC chooses a strong PR partner and executes well, we might see:
- More public‑facing announcements about new restaurants, job creation, community impact — positioning KFC as a growth engine rather than just a fast‑food chain.
- Integrated campaigns where advertising, social, PR, and corporate communications align — giving a more consistent and strategic brand voice.
- Possibly more transparent communications about supply chain, nutrition, sustainability, employment — as public expectations around food brands increase.
- Potential synergy between bold creative campaigns (adverts) and more controlled media relations — balancing publicity with reputation risk management.
Alternatively, if the new PR agency fails to adapt well, KFC may face backlash — especially if some campaigns stir controversy (as some recent ones have).
Here’s a look at some of the past “case studies” — and public commentary — around KFC UK & Ireland and its use of PR / communications agencies. This helps put in context why the chain’s current search for a new PR agency matters, and what kinds of risks and opportunities come with that.
Historical Cases: How KFC UK Has Managed PR Crises, Agencies & Brand Communication
FCK Campaign (2018 chicken‑shortage crisis) — Classic crisis‑management via PR + creative
- In early 2018, KFC UK suffered a major supply‑chain breakdown after switching its delivery partner, which resulted in many outlets temporarily running out of chicken. Around 900 restaurants were forced to close. (Great Ideas for Teaching Marketing)
- Faced with a massive public backlash — angry customers, media criticism, social‑media mockery and memes — KFC responded with what is now considered a textbook example of crisis PR. They ran a full‑page apology ad in major newspapers with a bucket image whose iconic “KFC” logo letters were rearranged to spell “FCK.” (Great Ideas for Teaching Marketing)
- The tone was bold but self-aware: instead of hiding or giving excuses, KFC owned up, apologized, and used humour and humility. As one PR‑industry summary put it: “turning a crisis into opportunity.” (imogenpr.co.id)
- According to some retrospective analyses, the campaign helped restore trust and mitigate what could have become a long‑lasting reputational hit — making it one of the “best crisis‑management campaigns” in recent UK PR history. (Campaign India)
Why it matters now: This shows that KFC is not shy of using aggressive, creative PR when needed — and that a “strong communications partner” (agency + internal team) can successfully protect brand reputation even under pressure. Probably a template for what the new agency search is partly about.
PR + Media Integration with Advertising / Social / Digital — need for coordinated agency work
- Over the years, KFC UK has used multiple agencies for different functions: creative advertising, media buying, social‑media content, PR & comms. For example, the advertising agency role has often been handled by a creative agency (like Mother London), while social media has more recently been assigned to an agency called Uncovered (since 2024) after a competitive pitch. (More About Advertising)
- There have been past ‘creative reviews’ / agency reviews (e.g. in 2016) by KFC, when they publicly sought to “refresh / reinvent” their media, advertising and communications strategy to reflect changing media consumption. (Campaign Live)
- As recently as 2023, during the COVID‑19 pandemic, KFC ran a PR‑heavy campaign — including branding shifts and clever outdoor/ambient work — to maintain visibility, manage public perception, and re-engage customers as lockdown restrictions eased. (Mobile Media)
What this suggests: KFC tends to treat its agency relationships as strategic — using external agencies to handle complex marketing, advertising, PR and social functions. That history of shifting/refreshing agencies underlines why a pitch for a “new PR agency” now is not unusual — it may be part of a regular evaluation or a strategic reset.
What’s Been Risky — Where PR / Comms Could Go Wrong (And Why a New Agency Might Help)
- The 2018 “chicken shortage crisis” showed that even a massive brand like KFC — with widespread visibility and loyalty — can take a huge reputational hit if supply‑chain or operational issues arise. Without quick, smart crisis communication (what they did), the backlash could’ve been far worse. So PR capability matters. (Great Ideas for Teaching Marketing)
- Past “edgy” or humour‑based PR/advertising stunts (humour, borderline irreverence) have worked for KFC, but such stunts carry risk — they can backfire if public mood or sensibilities shift. As noted by some marketing‑commentary sources, humorous branding needs to stay on the right side of taste, especially for a big food brand. (PR Superstar)
- Using separate agencies for media buying, creative, social, and PR can lead to disjointed messaging unless coordination is strong. Lack of coordination might dilute brand voice or cause mixed public communication — an issue often faced by large multi‑agency brands. This is partly why integrated or well‑managed PR partnerships matter. (Marketing Week)
Thus, the decision to search for a new PR agency may be driven in part by KFC’s desire to ensure better coordination, stronger crisis‑management, and consistent messaging — especially given past vulnerabilities.
What Observers / Industry Commentators Are Saying — Expectations & What to Watch From the New Pitch
From recent coverage and industry context:
- Some commentators see this pitch for a new PR agency as a sign that KFC wants to refresh and modernize its communications — aligning PR more closely with its evolving creative and social strategies. Given that their social media and creative advertising roles are already handled by agencies (Uncovered, Mother London, Mindshare for media planning), having a dedicated PR agency might complete an integrated agency model. (inferred from history + recent search)
- Others expect that the new agency will need to bring strong cultural relevance, agility, and crisis‑management capacity — because KFC often uses edgy/humorous marketing, which can generate both buzz and controversy. The PR agency needs to handle both positive campaigns and potential backlash.
- Given KFC’s reach and complexity (hundreds of restaurants, franchise model, supply‑chain challenges, seasonal promotions, regulatory scrutiny) — many believe a larger “boutique or specialist PR agency” may be more effective than a big network‑agency: someone nimble, creative, with food / quick‑service restaurant (QSR) sector experience and strong media‑relations skills.
What to Watch — Likely Outcomes Depending on Agency Choice & Execution
| If KFC Gets a Strong PR Partner | What to Watch / Risk If They Get It Wrong |
|---|---|
| Better coordination across Advertising, Social, PR, and Corporate Communications — unified brand voice and campaigns. | Mixed messaging or tone mismatch — social media might veer humourous while PR tries to go serious, creating brand incoherence. |
| Proactive, creative PR campaigns that keep brand in cultural conversation — not just reactive crisis‑management. | Over‑reliance on “edgy humour” — misjudged campaigns could backfire or alienate parts of audience. |
| Strong crisis‑management capability — ability to handle supply issues, controversies or external regulatory/media scrutiny effectively. | Operational challenges (e.g. supply, quality) not mitigated — even best PR can’t save a failing product or service reputation long‑term. |
| A more flexible, trend‑aware PR approach — aligning with social‑media and creative advertising agencies for modern, relevant marketing. | Costs of agency misfit — if chosen agency is too small or inexperienced, risk of underperforming messaging or poor media relations. |
My Take: Why This New PR Pitch Makes Sense — And What It Suggests for KFC’s Next Phase
Given the history — strong campaigns, major crises (like 2018), multiple agencies for different functions — this move for a new PR agency seems like a strategic recalibration rather than a reactive panic. It likely reflects KFC wanting to:
- Ensure its PR & communications keep pace with increasingly fragmented and volatile media/social landscape.
- Build tighter coordination across all brand‑facing functions (advertising, social media, PR, media buying).
- Prepare for both growth opportunities and possible challenges (new promotions, expansion, regulatory or supply‑chain issues).
In other words: KFC seems to be positioning itself for a long-term, integrated approach to brand management — viewing PR not just as “damage control,” but as a key strategic function in marketing and public engagement.