2025 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

The KFC “Superstition" campaign was designed to commemorate the Edmonton Oilers' return to the NHL Finals after 34 years and aimed to stand out from other sponsors by appealing to hockey fans’ rituals and superstitions. With a deep-rooted culture of quirky playoff rituals – like growing playoff beards or wearing lucky outfits, as Oilers’ star Connor McDavid did – KFC decided to channel the spirit of superstition in an unconventional way.

Rather than the typical “proud sponsor” ad, KFC created a campaign that took fans back to 1990, the last time the Oilers won the Stanley Cup. As the Finals heated up, KFC resurrected their vintage ads from that era, airing them as they were originally broadcasted in the 1990s.

The campaign began with these vintage ads on paid social channels, generating buzz, and then extended to TV, airing during game broadcasts.

Beyond the ads, KFC brought nostalgia to life in Edmonton with retro in-store posters and signage. A digital billboard outside Rogers Place displayed the classic KFC bucket and cheered on the Oilers. To make the campaign even sweeter, KFC introduced a throwback pricing deal: 18 pieces of chicken for $18, available exclusively in Edmonton.

The campaign took a bold approach, using premium ad space to showcase old commercials in an era where other brands were leaning on contemporary and generic messages. This break from the norm, combined with targeted placements across TV, social media, out-of-home (OOH), and in-store, resulted in a 360-degree campaign that caught the attention of hockey fans across Canada.

The results spoke volumes. KFC became one of the most talked-about brands during the Finals, garnering national media coverage, significant social media engagement, and record-breaking sales. Alberta achieved its highest sales month on record during the campaign. In Edmonton, sales rose by 7% and transactions by 2%, well above national averages. On game nights, sales
surged even higher: 36% on Game 6 and +51% on Game 7, with transactions up 19% and 31%, respectively.

By leaning into hockey fandom in a way that resonated with the sport’s culture and superstitions, KFC distinguished itself in a crowded sponsorship landscape and demonstrated that some superstitions can indeed pay off.

Credits

Agency: Courage
Niki Sahni - Partner + President
Dhaval Bhatt - Founder + CCO
Joel Holtby - Founder + CCO
Tom Kenny - Partner + CSO
Jesse Wilks - Creative Director
Gerardo Agbuya - Creative Director
Jesse Wilks - Copywriter
Gerardo Agbuya - Art Director
Derek Mollenhauer - Strategy Director
Lyndsey Westfall - Senior Strategist
Alex Karayannides - Group Account Director
Kyron Sobers - Account Director
Nick Lepp - Account Supervisor
Zoe Fetsis - Account Executive
Clair Galea - Executive Producer
Sarah Moen - Senior Producer
Rachel D'Ercole - Producer
Raquel Mullen - Senior Integrated Producer
Tania Gaudio - Integrated Producer

Client: KFC
Katherine Bond Debecki - Chief Marketing Officer
Telly Carayannakis - Performance Marketing Director
Lauren Pottie - Senior Manager, Media & Regional Marketing
Luke Melenberg - Performance Marketing Manager

Offline: Outsider Editorial
Editor - John Gallagher
Executive Producers - Kayan Choi & Kristina Anzlinger
Editorial Assistants - Denisse Pressacco & Dana Ryan

Transfer, VFX & Online: Alter Ego
Executive Producer - Hilda Pereira
Colourist - Eric Whipp
Colour Assistant - Daniel Saavedra
Online Artist - Jake Hussey
Senior Producer - Andrew Tavares

Audio: Boombox
Partner & Creative Director - Roger Leavens
Creative Director - Chris Stiliadis
Casting Director - Kaliopi Kuzyk
Engineers - Kara MacKinlay
Partner & Executive Producer - Umber Hamid
Senior Producer - Spencer Houghton

Production (Stills)
Joe Calleja - Senior Production Designer
Simon Tuckett - Senior Retoucher