The Ask: KFC introduced the Chizza, a unique hybrid of fried chicken and pizza that challenged traditional fast-food categories. The launch goal 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. I recognized a major hurdle: traditional pizza enthusiasts were unlikely to see a fried-chicken hybrid as a legitimate pizza. Our strategy had to account for this skepticism rather than trying to ignore it.

The Brief: Instead of competing in the traditional pizza category, we leaned into KFC’s authority in fried chicken. We positioned the Chizza not as a “pizza,” but as a definitive, chicken interpretation of a classic, creating a category of its own that only KFC could own.

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

Agency: MullenLowe

Role: Brand Strategist

Year: 2024