KFC Commercial Draws Backlash, Calls of Racism

Some wonder if ad is utilizing the stereotype linking fried chicken to black people

By Peter Gilstrap Feb 28, 2014 6:44 PMTags
KFC CommercialYouTube

A new KFC commercial is stirring up a bit of controversy.

In the spot, we see a young black girl from South Africa attending a school in Bangkok, where it's obvious she is having trouble understanding much of her surroundings, like the native language and the local food.

Aware that the new student is a bit uncomfortable in such a foreign environment, one of her Asian classmates comes up and proceeds to lick her fingers, and the girl quickly realizes she is referring to KFC and smiles.

The two girls, along with a few other Asian classmates, are then seen happily eating a bucket of chicken.

However, some wonder if the ad, titled, "Tastes Like Home," is utilizing the stereotype that often links fried chicken to black people.

In the commercial's description on YouTube, it reads, "It's amazing how the simplest things connect us and make us feel at home - like mealtimes and the universally loved taste of KFC. The launch of KFC South Africa's latest advert by Ogilvy & Mather Johannesburg, shot in Bangkok Thailand, brings to life how the same great KFC taste brings people together and makes you feel at home."

So what do you think? Is the ad harmless or is it feeding off a stereotype?

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