KFC announced a year-long partnership with rapper and Louisville native Jack Harlow back in December 2021, promising special menu innovation and exclusive fan experiences.
Coming through on those promises, fans could order the Jack Harlow Meal in June, the rapper’s curated mix of KFC classics and new menu items including the Spicy KFC Chicken Sandwich, Secret Recipe Fries, Mac & Cheese, a side of ranch and a lemonade, all served in customized Jack Harlow x KFC packaging.
Harlow picked out the items after visiting the KFC test kitchen, where he also learned how to bread and fry the chicken with Chris Scott, KFC’s head chef.
Nick Chavez, KFC’s chief marketing officer, was there that day and had the chance to meet Harlow. “Jack Harlow is real. He’s a good guy, with lots of stories around Louisville and when he comes back home, he visits his high school, says hi to kids, hangs out with old friends,” Chavez said.
Nick Chavez joined KFC as chief marketing officer in November 2021 after spending 11 years with Nintendo of America.
“He’s an exceptionally gifted and talented music artist who is also a friendly, funny, down to earth and very charismatic young man.”
The origin of the collaboration began earlier last year, when KFC started working with Black-owned marketing agency Nimbus, which has worked with several large franchise brands including Papa John’s. KFC’s goal was to expand its reach and engagement with younger customers, targeting millennials and Gen Zers, specifically.
Those generations “can smell inauthenticity a mile away, and can smell fake marketing speak and bogus programs,” Chavez said. “Fortunately for KFC and Jack Harlow, this ain’t one of those.”
Harlow was very hands-on throughout the partnership, Chavez noted. One example of that: Harlow provided comments, notes and revisions on proposed social media content for the Jack Harlow meal, and even contributed his own audio content, featuring his new single “Nail Tech” in a 15-second ad.
“Jack is an artist, a musician, a rapper, and he’s had extensive personal involvement in this partnership from the food we select and highlight to the way the partnership is communicated via all of our advertising and marketing channels,” Chavez said.
A restaurant takeover on June 4 outside of an Atlanta KFC enticed thousands of Harlow fans who were surprised when Harlow himself made an appearance. The KFC team sent Harlow, who was in Los Angeles shooting for the new film “White Man Can’t Jump,” on a red-eye flight to Georgia to make it in time for the event.
“He actually worked the drive-thru that day, believe it or not,” Chavez said. “There are very funny clips online of people going through the drive-thru and Jack Harlow is both taking their order and serving them food. He was a great sport about it, and pretty darn good at working the drive-thru.”
KFC’s social media channels saw a 30 percent increase in reach since the start of their partnership with Harlow in December, driven largely by Harlow’s fan base, Chavez noted. Audio clips recorded by Harlow played as customers added the Jack Harlow Meal into their carts in the app, which has seen a “significant increase” in the number of new users.
At the end of the Jack Harlow Meal promotion, some of the Harlow x KFC standing cardboard cutouts “mysteriously went missing,” while branded empty cups and wrappers were sold on eBay.
KFC hopped on the celebrity partnership train later than its Yum sister brand, Taco Bell, which partnered with Harlow’s friend and music collaborator, Lil Nas X, and named him chief impact officer last year. As KFC considered potential collaborations with actors, athletes and entertainers, Harlow’s name quickly popped up, Chavez said.
“We say Jack Harlow was born and breaded in Kentucky,” said Chavez. “It made for this perfect match of a remarkably gifted, talented and popular young musical artist with a brand he authentically likes.”
“It’s great to root and partner with not only talented celebrities and artists, but also just good people,” Chavez added.
Look for more on the KFC-Jack Harlow partnership in the September issue of Franchise Times Magazine.