The Ask: KFC introduced the Chizza, a unique hybrid of fried chicken and pizza that challenged traditional fast-food categories. The goal for the launch was to leverage the unconventional product to generate organic buzz and position the brand at the center of cultural conversation.

The Insight: In the pizza category, consumer standards for authenticity are incredibly high. We recognize a significant hurdle: traditional pizza enthusiasts were unlikely to view a fried chicken hybrid as a legitimate pizza. Our strategy had to account for this skepticism rather than trying to ignore it.

The Brief: Rather than compete in the traditional pizza category, we leaned into KFC’s authority in fried chicken. The strategy was to position the Chizza not as a “pizza,” but as a definitive, chicke interpretation of a classic – creating a category of its own that only KFC could own.

The Results: The launch received 2.2 billion earned media impressions, 334 new articles, and all the Chizza available at the “Chizzeria” sold out.

Agency: MullenLowe

Role: Brand Strategist

Year: 2024