STATEMENT FROM KFC AUSTRALIA REGARDING CRICKET ADVERTISEMENTS
7 January 2010
We have been made aware that a KFC commercial being shown on Australian television has apparently caused offence, particularly in the United States, after a copy of the commercial was reproduced online without KFC’s permission.
The ad features supporters of the touring West Indian cricket team and was intended for Australian audiences only.
It is part of a broader series – The Cricket Survival Guide – which provides tongue-in-cheek advice to Australian cricket fans during the 2009/2010 cricket season.
While we believe this light-hearted commercial has been well understood by Australian cricket fans, to avoid the possibility of any further offence being caused by the advertisement either here or online overseas, KFC will cease running the commercial immediately.
KFC Australia apologises unreservedly for any offence caused which of course was wholly unintended.
We unequivocally condemn discrimination of any type and have a proud history as one of the world’s leading employers for diversity.
In 2009 Yum! Brands (the owner of KFC) was named as one of Black Enterprise magazine’s ’40 Best Companies for Diversity’ for the fifth consecutive year. Yum! also received The National Society of Hispanic MBA’s 2009 Brillante Award for Corporate Excellence which is presented to a corporation which fosters Hispanic leadership.
Media Enquiries:
Zac Rich
P: 02 9930 3093
M: 0419 722 895
