Colonel Quest

Objective

KFC sought to revitalize its brand by repositioning founder Colonel Sanders as a cultural icon during the company's 75th-anniversary relaunch. The campaign aimed to reconnect with consumers through high-impact, multi-channel storytelling that went beyond traditional advertising to include experiential and digital entertainment.

Solution

Colonel Quest was a free browser-based 8-bit arcade game released on the KFC/Colonel Sanders campaign website. The game humorously depicted five chapters of Colonel Sanders' fabricated pre-KFC life, featuring five distinct arcade-style gameplay mechanics: an endless runner, a paddle-bounce level, a fighting stage, a shooting gallery, and a Tapper-style restaurant management finale. The game was developed and promoted as part of Wieden+Kennedy Portland's broader Colonel Sanders revival campaign.

Results

The Colonel Sanders campaign achieved 2 billion earned impressions and drove 12 consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth. Colonel Quest's specific engagement metrics were not publicly disclosed.