Ronald McDonald might not have been popular abroad, but KFC’s “Chicky” has been a huge hit in China. As sales have decreased in the US, KFC has shifted focus to the Chinese market where they were the first fast food chain to establish a restaurant (1987), and currently outnumber McDonald’s 3 to 2. KFC has achieved major success in China due to its novelty and consistent adaptation to changing local tastes. They throw birthday parties and even weddings on a regular basis. The invention of “Chicky,” a fluffy chicken mascot created specifically for China, has made children KFC customers for life.
KFC wasn’t always so successful. Their first advertisements translated “Finger lickin’ good” to “Eat your fingers off.” Pamela Anderson has also boycotted KFC, claiming that they treat the chickens inhumanely. Despite these setbacks, KFC is expanding even further in the Chinese market. They opened the country’s first drive thru and plan to build more.
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