2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

As the official sponsor of the Winnipeg Jets, who were heading into the NHL playoffs, KFC needed to find an unmistakable way into Winnipeg’s hockey culture. But with brands like McDonald’s, Tim Horton’s, and Harvey’s already tied to the NHL, breaking through in an ownable way wasn’t going to be easy. The agency needed a connection no other brand could claim – and they found two.

Their strategy was to embed KFC into the Jets' playoff culture by fusing our distinctive brand assets with the rituals that matter most to fans. Because in sports, sponsorships succeed when they feel like an extension of fan passion, not just a logo buy. For Jets fans, nothing is bigger than The Whiteout – a playoff tradition since 1987 where every fan dresses head-to-toe in white. It was a natural link to Colonel Sanders, who has been wearing his iconic white suit since the 1950s. By showing up as he always has, the Colonel became part of Winnipeg’s most powerful playoff ritual. Then came an even more ownable connection: Jets star Kyle Connor.

Whenever he scored, fans erupted with chants of “KFC” short for Kyle F*cking Connor. It was a cultural moment hiding in plain sight, and one only KFC could authentically claim. Fueled by these two unique connections to the Jets, the agency took over the playoffs by making KFC part of Winnipeg’s Whiteout and playoff history.

Across the city of Winnipeg, they activated the unlock into the Whiteout tradition, from reimagining their iconic fried chicken bucket as the “Kyle F*cking Connor Whiteout Bucket,” swapping the Colonel’s face for Connor’s, to fully rebranding a Winnipeg KFC restaurant as “Kyle F*cking Connor” – KFC.

At the rink, the Colonel, in his all-white suit, and popular hockey influencers joined the Whiteout, handing out Kyle buckets so fans could wear them proudly as part of the tradition and movement. The brand didn’t just sponsor the playoffs, they became part of Jets’ playoff culture. KFC x KFC wasn’t just clever, it was a perfect cultural fit.

Kyle F*cking Connor was KFC’s most successful brand act to date, with 355% in total earned impressions across media and social.

The campaign saw a 358% increase in brand affinity and $364M in earned media value. It lifted in-store sales by 22%, made headlines across major sports outlets and publications, including Barstool, Sportsnet, ESPN, Fox Sports, and more. It earned KFC endless cultural cache and made inroads with Jets’ fans and hockey lovers alike.

Credits

Agency
Courage Inc.
Founder + CCO: Dhaval Bhatt
Founder + CCO: Joel Holtby
Partner + President: Niki Sahni
Partner + CSO: Tom Kenny
Partner + EP: Clair Galea
Copywriter: Zac Smith
Art Director: Zeina Elshurafa
Sr Strategist: Sydney Hill
Creative Director: Steve Ierullo
Creative Director: Hemal Dhanjee
Executive Creative Director: Chris Booth
Group Account Director: Alex Karayannides
Account Director: Kyron Sobers
Account Supervisor: Nick Lepp
Account Executive: Zoe Fetsis
Producer: Rachel D’Ercole, Sarah Moen
Sr. Integrated Producer: Raquel Mullen
Sr. Production Designer: Jeannette Downes
Talent + Traffic Manager: Christine Baggs
PR Director: Natalia Banoub

Client
KFC
Chief Marketing Officer: Katherine Bond Debecki
Director, Marketing: Azim Akhtar
Senior Manager, Media & Regional Marketing: Lauren Pottie
Marketing Manager, Brand & Partnerships: Jordan Sequeira
Associate Marketing Manager: Olha Safonik
Production
Photographer / Videographer: Ben Dartnell
Assistant:
Retoucher: Allan Davey
Talent: Robert Wills (The Colonel)
Hair & Makeup: Pina Robinson
Wardrobe: Laura Deluca

PR Agency
Narrative
Managing Director - Cathy Mitchell
Executive Creative Director - Debbie Chan
Vice President - Lauren Baswick
Account Director - Katie Mills
Senior Account Manager - Holly Wilks

Media
UM Canada
Vice President - Derek Ouellette - VP
Manager - Adam Steeves Adam Steeves - Manager
Senior Planner - Julia Clark