KFC Drops ‘Finger Lickin’ Good’ Due to COVID-19

After 64 years, KFC is parting ways with their infamous slogan of “Finger Lickin’ Good” for the time being in an attempt to clean up their image as COVID-19 rages on.

Since March, health officials have been urging people to keep their hands away from their faces, so KFC is finally listening. Sounds like it took them a couple of months to realize they were encouraging people to put their hands near their mouths with their popular chicken recipe.

In a statement on Monday, KFC said “…this year has been like no other and, right now, our slogan doesn’t feel quite right. So, for that reason, we’ll be pressing pause on using it in our advertising, for a little while.”

Global Chief Marketing Officer Catherine Tan-Gillespie assured KFC fans that “the food craved by so many people around the world isn’t changing one bit,” and they will be bringing back the slogan when the time is right.

My question is, why now? Why did it take six months for them to realize that their slogan may be a little off-color in present times?

On the other hand, do people really correlate this phrase with COVID? It’s a bit of a stretch, but I guess if a customer licks their fingers after a tasty chicken thigh and contracts the coronavirus shortly after, that’s not a good look.

The press release from KFC just goes to show how incredibly strange this year is, where a business of 64 years has to retract a slogan that would otherwise be innocent in any other year.

I wonder if this will inspire other companies to reflect on their own messaging.