KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

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  1

  fbones

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  When I wake up from my nap, that I will have to have after eating one, I'll let you know!

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  2

  welll...

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  Change it to the KFC baked chicken and go after the Atkin's crowd...

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  3

  AZkjp

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  It's sad that people have to be told this is not health food. I can hear the self-important news casters and health nuts now: "you may know it's bad for you, but do you reeeeaaaaallllyyyy know how bad it is for you", as if we are all too stupid to get it.
  
  This is another (good) step for KFC is distinguishing their brand as an interesting specialty worthy of a loyal following while keeping the economics of fast food. I won't buy one of these until KFC takes #2's suggestion to heart, but I applaud them for the effort.

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  4

  MagnoliaMedina

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  I am undertaking a research on viral marketing as final element of my master. I would really be most grateful if you would agree to help and in order to participate, you should simply click this link and take just a few minutes to answer a short questionnaire:
  
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  5

  I'mSpartacus

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  A breadless sandwich - how unique. Next we'll have a paperless cigarette and all the health nutters will be up in arms telling us how bad that apparently is for us.
  
  But wait - won't the conservationists be applauding the move as a way to save old growth Amazonian trees?
  
  Health = What God gives with one hand and the Colonel taketh away with the other.
  
  Freedon of choice = What God gives with one hand and Government taketh away with the other.
  
  I'm Spartacus (and I refuse to be a slave any longer).

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  6

  Dennis.Ash

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  I wonder

  I have watched a friend of mine toss the bun and eat the meat. Someone must have been watching, good idea!
  
  By the way - how many people did you say reacted to the advert ... isn't that creating brand awareness?

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  7

  NURREDIN

  08/27/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  That's what happens when a guy from England is in charge of
  KENTUCKY Fried Chicken. The Colonel is spinning in his grave.

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  8

  DavonP

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  KFC has something new on menu. Would you like to buy and eat this new Double Down sandwich? Well, if do you might as well go buy a house for a cardiologist, because that's essentially what you are doing. It's a heart attack on a bun, akin to the "Luther burger." They claim it only has 600 calories, but that is hardly believable. It seems irresponsible to sell a sandwich like this when obesity is epidemic in America. Seriously, if eating something like the Double Down sandwich is something you'd do on a regular basis.

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  9

  clarkm

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  As the KFC executive; I'm wondering how in the heck did this idea ever get this far? Really.

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  10

  kupdegraff

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  The whole concept of this sandwich is disgusting! First of all, why would I want two greasy pieces of chicken as a "bun?" It's clearly NOT a sandwich in any shape or form. If I want to eat fried chicken, I'll eat one piece at a time and NOT with bacon and cheese in between. Really..... who do they have working there!?

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  11

  DL21

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  All the free advertising is great for KFC. It's not like this offering will keep people from ever eating at a KFC again, they just may not choose to eat this particular product. As for the "sandwich" itself, I don't see it any less disgusting than the double and triple patty burgers with cheese, bacon and onion rings that the competition sells. You can't tell me that just because you cover that stuff up with a bun, that you somehow think it is healthier. Obviously, the target is specific, yet the messaging is reaching the masses. Good for KFC.

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  12

  darinrj

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  As a buzz generator, the Double-Down has done its job similar to the Luther Burger or any of the other extreme food items that restaurants will toss out (see Travel Channel's "Man vs Food" for some wild examples). Since it's in limited 'test marketing' there's no significant impact to my corporate brand, and I'm likely seeing seeing some increased traffic as curiosity seekers come to their local store to try and find it, likely don't see it and order something else instead.
  
  As the exec, I leave this out there for a few more weeks then have a high-profile announcement that KFC is committed to the health of its customers and proceed to roll out the product I've been wanting to market all along - some moderately healthy item that now looks like a diet item next to the Double-Down. I've successfully moved the expectations bar in my favor.

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  fpotter@...

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  Yummy! Now I hope there is a rest area relatively near the Exit from where I picked up one of these from the drive-thru. Are you kidding me? This is a knife and fork proposition at best! There's more lubrication inside that concoction than a tube of KY jelly! Come on KFC! Is this the most you can get from those "creative juices" flowing within your marketing department?

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  14

  fbones

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  nap over! Tasty sandwich (If you really want to call it that!). I agree with #2 or maybe as the KFC Exec I should tie the marketing campaign with an incentive to join a health club.... you know.. so when the lawsuits come rolling in (no pun on obesity) from persons not wanting to take responsibility for eating enough of these to have a heart attack within days of consumption, we could settle out of court with any agreement to place a warning label directly on the double down stating the obvious!!! "Now...Can i get one to go!?"

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  15

  conlad

  08/28/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  darinrj, that sounds quite smart you know? Perhaps too smart for the common executive, hehe.
  
  Seriously, people whine a lot lately. Who cares what they sell? People chooses what goes into their mouths, right? If you find it bad, disgusting, etc then don't buy it. Period. But please stop complaining and saying it's a crime against humanity because it's just one more dish among many others. There's a lot more important things out there to riot against than the Double Down.
  
  If I was a KFC exec, I'd move along and see how my regular buyers react to it. They might like it, or they might not. And then I'd move on to the next product based on this feedback (if the feedback from my direct customers, not health fanatics, is that they want a more healthier option, then I'll deliver it) and so on. About the viral marketing, I'd just watch closely and try to get closer to my regular customers, and then get their feedback in a faster and more accurate way.

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  SinghAnoop

  08/29/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  KFC operates in a market of junk food. There are health hazards associated with its products and that if it's products. What adverse publicity does is makes customers think twice before entering a KFC and pushes the same customer to the stores of competition all selling the same stuff.
  
  To divert adverse publicity KFC should re call and then Re launch the DD. In the new avatar the DD should be offered in variants ver 1.1 . 1.2 etc with each version getting closer to the original DD. The original D is then offered only as a upsize version where the dedicated customer only who can handle the product actually buys it. With this strategy KFC leverages Consumer Choice which is a touch stone in America along with responsible retailing a Corp Social Gov touchstone . Viola !

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  17

  billwillm

  08/30/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  You guys are waaaay over thinking the solution...
  
  Just include 2 whole grain buns on the side as an option,
  and the customer can the best of all worlds - 2 sandwiches
  for the price of one, and KFC rides the viral media wave all
  the way to the bank!
  
  BP
  MarketingDNA@mac.com
  
  

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  18

  middleaged

  08/31/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  Tempted to try one. Sounds ridiculously unhealthy - which is probably kind of the point.
  
  On the plus side, its probably reduced sugar and low in carbs so could be pitched as a health food

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  19

  seansilverthorne@...

  08/31/09 | Report as spam

  Bun optional -- brilliant billwillm!

  I was surprised by the number of folks commenting here who either want to taste a Double Down or think it's a fine product for KFC to experiment with. I had expected most solutions for KFC to center around, "How do we get out of this gracefully?"
  
  I love Billwillm's solution: KFC should offer an optional bun, and call it two sandwiches for the price of one.

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  20

  Weaver1

  08/31/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  My adolescent son watches a Cartoon Network show called Ed, Edd n Eddy. One of
  the characters is called "Double D". I think I'd put together a promotion with
  Cartoon Network and sell t-shirts with Ed, Edd n Eddy on the front along with a "I
  Doubled Down with Double D at KFC!" with a picture of the character eating the
  Double D. Of course parents and health nuts would go crazy insisting this would
  encourage our kids to eat unhealthy fast food. Oh wait, they already do that!

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  21

  middleaged

  08/31/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  Nurredin
  
  Be careful about criticising the English. We secretly control everything in a dark and sinister way.
  
  The double down is another way to secretly gain revenge after independence - don't think we've forgotten

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  22

  Dennis.Ash

  09/01/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  Hey guys - as a matter of interest does anyone know how many of these have actually sold - after all the measure of a good marketing campaign is sales.
  Then as a spin off ? how has this campaign affected KFC sales as a whole?
  I reserve my judgement until after the numbers are posted ?

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  23

  chictranz

  11/08/09 | Report as spam

  RE: KFC's 'Double Down' Sandwich: The Mother of All Viral Campaigns?

  Hmmm, can I have a plate, a fork and a knife please? And can I order one cup of garlic rice with it please?? Now I?m done with my dinner! Yum! Yum! Yum! Eprocurement software