top of page

Satire in Advertising

Updated: Aug 22, 2020


Satire in Advertising
Satire in Advertising

What’s the best way as a brand to admit you goofed up – poke fun at yourself!


Here we look at 2 brands that increased brand recall using satire to convert unexpected mishaps into inspiring case studies.


When KFC changed its supplier in 2018, the fast-food chain faced chicken shortages across the UK leading to store closures and social media backlash.

Instead of pushing blame, their clever letter play to imply ‘FCK’, a conversational apology & a smattering of self-deprecating humor (the chicken crossed the road, just not to our restaurant) made sure their public image not only regained its pre-crisis standing but also improved by 7%!

This campaign picked up Cannes Lions awards, reached 1 billion people in 3 months & is regarded as the gold standard in communications campaigns.


Emily Crisps faced a different problem- they’d bought outdoor media space thinking that 2020 summer would be the perfect time to release their first OOH campaign but lockdown ruined their plans.

The team quickly recreated their ads to pity themselves on the marketing misfortune with cheeky messages alongside colorful images of the product.

Today, pictures of their billboards are grabbing eyeballs online & they’re increasing exposure using interactive elements in Instagram stories.





102 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page