2025 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

KFC Canada wanted to break into the basketball space, where QSR competitors like McDonald’s and Subway had already invested heavily in player endorsements and partnerships. Without official sponsorships, KFC aimed to connect authentically with basketball fans by leveraging its iconic brand asset: “Finger Lickin’ Good.”

Basketball is filled with finger-licking moments – from clutch free throws to celebratory threes, players like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Angel Reese have solidified finger-licking as an on-court ritual. KFC saw a chance to own this moment by making “the finger lickin’ good” celebration central to basketball culture.

Instead of a big endorsement deal, KFC introduced the “Finger Lickin’ Open Endorsement” for everyone – players and fans alike. The simple mechanic: shoot a basket, perform the finger-licking celebration, and share it online with @kfc_canada for a chance to get endorsed.

“Finger Lickin' Open Endorsement” launched with a high-profile stunt, placing Colonel Sanders courtside at a Raptors game alongside influencer Lethal Shooter. The appearance went viral, making KFC a top-trending topic, even surpassing McDonald’s. KFC expanded reach by endorsing over 40 NCAA athletes during March Madness, creating the largest NIL deal of its kind.

The campaign even hit the NBA stage when Luka Doncic performed the “FLG celly,” firmly embedding KFC into basketball culture.

The campaign generated $17.5 million in Earned Media Value (EMV), with over 1,000 fan endorsements. KFC surpassed McDonald’s as the #2 QSR brand associated with basketball, securing the #1 share of voice during All-Star Weekend. By creating a culturally resonant celebration, KFC became the first brand to own a basketball celebration, giving fans a new reason to embrace “Finger Lickin’ Good.”

Credits

Agency: Courage
Dhaval Bhatt - Founder + CCO
Joel Holtby - Founder + CCO
Tom Kenny - Partner + CSO
Niki Sahni - Partner + President
Raul Garcia - Executive Creative Director
Hemal Dhanjee - Creative Director
Steve Ierullo - Creative Director
Alex Karrayanides - Group Account Director
Kyron Sobers - Account Director
Atria Ghosh - Account Supervisor
Rami Dudin - Group Strategy Director
Clair Galea - Executive Producer
Katie Fowler - Producer
Sunaina Arora - Producer + Post Producer
Marcus Barrie - Editor

Production: Merchant
Jason Jeffrey - Director
Adam Marsden - DP
Ian Webb - Executive Producer
Hayley Taylor - Executive Producer
Maryna Petrenko - Producer
Jessica O’Reilly - Production Designer
Ron Parrell - 1st AD
Kyle Lauzon - Production Manager
Adelle Gaudet - Stylist
Cristina Rubiales - Hair & MUA Artist
Foodstylist - Sean O’Connor

Transfer + Online: Alter Ego
Colourist - Lily Henry
Colour Assistant - Daniel Saavedra
VFX Lead - Eric Perrella
VFX Artists - Sebastian Boros, Victoria Gaston
VFX Assistant - Nupur Desai
Senior Motion Designer - Edward Deng
Producer - Mariya Guzova
Executive Producer - Hilda Pereira

Audio: Vapor Music
Creative Director - Ted Rosnick
Sound Engineer - Ryan Chalmers
Producer - Matilde Mata
Executive Producer - Lindsey Serlin

Client: KFC
Katherine Bond Debecki - Chief Marketing Officer
Azim Akhtar - Director of Marketing
Jordan Sequeira - Brand Manager