Finger Lickin' Open Endorsement

Agency: Courage
Client: KFC

Faced with a saturated basketball market dominated by big QSR sponsorships, KFC Canada needed to make a splash in an unconventional way. So it incentivised the “Finger Lickin’ Good” phrase - a motto and gesture created by the brand in 1952 - which also taps into a little-known basketball ritual; the finger lick after key plays.

It kicked things off by sneaking a real-life Colonel Sanders courtside at an NBA game with basketball’s biggest influencer LethalShooter, thus infiltrating its competitor’s turf with no sponsorship deal.

News of the stunt went viral in the basketball community and even NBA star Luka Doncic was seen performing the celebration.

Having launched the "Finger Lickin' Open Endorsement," KFC invited anyone—players, fans, streamers—to shoot a bucket, do the “Finger Lickin' Good” celebration, share it online, and get paid in KFC.

With over $17m in Earned Media Value, (and $0 on sponsorships), KFC quickly overtook McDonald’s as the #2 brand associated with basketball, capturing #1 share of voice during All-Star Weekend.