How KFC’s Audience-First Content Strategy Drives Millions of Organic Views

The "Gen Z targeting strategy" is a myth.

Today’s young consumers are fractured into hundreds of hyper-niche aesthetics, "brain rot" memes, micro-trends, conflicting morals and ideologies.... This fragmentation of subcultures is difficult to navigate: how do brands stay relevant to a generation that is constantly evolving and re-inventing themselves?

At Pion’s latest exclusive event ‘Pioneer’, Grace McGrand, Brand Manager at KFC, shared how the fast food giant stays a go-to in youth culture by ditching the traditional corporate playbook in favor of a more audience-led strategy.

Despite Gen Z’s ever-changing desires and behaviour, KFC ranked as a top 5 food brand in the PION100 UK report–a study of the 100 most loved youth brands.

Here’s how, and what we can learn.

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Moving From "Brand-First" to "Audience-First"

The biggest mistake a brand can make is being "selfish" with its content. 

Grace argues that to capture Gen Z’s attention, brands must stop acting like advertisers and start acting like creators who provide genuine value, whether that’s through entertainment or education.

At KFC, this means prioritizing the audience's interests over the brand's. 

"I think we have to start from the point of providing something in whichever channel that is... it's starting from a point of being truly unselfish and then working from there." –Grace McGrand, Brand Manager at KFC

Young consumers are already overwhelmed with communication and content. If it feels like you want something from them, it’s not worth their time.

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Less Internal Reviews Means More External Views

The speed of Gen Z culture today means that internal reviews and feedback can be a death sentence for a campaign. If you wait for three weeks of approvals to jump on a trend, the trend is already dead. 

KFC stays agile by immersing itself in the places where subcultures actually live: Substack, DMs, and the TikTok comment section.

Grace suggests that marketers need to be willing to step outside their comfort zones to stay relevant:

"I think in terms of staying on the beat with culture, it’s about getting out your brand book and into the for you page, into substack, into the comment section, into your DM." –Grace McGrand, Brand Manager at KFC

Taking risks as a brand is, in the long-run, more rewarding than playing it safe and going by the rulebook. 

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Social Engagement Goes Both Ways

One of the most challenging aspects of fragmented subcultures is the emergence of "nonsensical" humor. 

While many brands strive for high engagement, they forget to engage back with their customers. It’s not just about replying to organic mentions, sometimes it’s also about taking the odd dare in your comments seriously.

Grace shared a story of how they responded to a bizarre customer request to "get oiled up.” 

Instead of ignoring it, KFC filmed themselves pouring "fry oil" (which was actually just water, of course) over their heads and seasoning themselves. 

A simple indulgence which garnered over 11 million organic views.

"We took the KFC oil out of the fries and poured it over our heads, and then seasoned ourselves... Our audience was asking for it. They didn't expect us to do it, and we delivered that unexpectedness. I think it's all about listening to your consumer because they will tell you exactly what they want. " –Grace McGrand, Brand Manager at KFC

This type of content doesn’t just make customers feel seen, it highlights the real humans behind the brand, and contributes to strengthening authenticity and, in turn, loyalty. 

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Digital Presence is Powered by Physical Presence

While digital engagement is vital, being a top brand requires a cohesive experience both online and offline. Top brands like KFC succeed because they are "physically available" on every large street, making them an accessible, unpretentious part of a student's daily life.

"I think essentially... having a great product, having a great customer experience, having great tech is so integral to being a top performing brand." –Grace McGrand, Brand Manager at KFC

Digital presence is, at the end of the day, a means for brands to convey the unique in-store experience they offer, and convert the young user scrolling on their phone and landing on your content into an in-store customer the next time they’re browsing out on the streets.

So, be bold but on-brand. Generate that engagement, but engage back with your audience. And strive to bring users to the store, not just your profile.

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