KFC

KFC is the largest, most successful restaurant brand in China, with over 9,000 restaurants in 1,800 cities. Like every fast food business, the brand relies on casual footfall. Young consumers hanging out with friends are key audiences who must be constantly recruited.

But by 2022 store traffic was suffering and business performance had declined by 16%. Innovation had helped the brand win with young Chinese consumers. But technologies (and generations) never stand still.

Gen Z have evolved: hanging out with friends is increasingly a virtual experience. 50% agree “I spend more time hanging out with friends in gaming environments than in the real world.”.

Many spend more time styling their avatars than themselves. How could KFC thrive in a world where a key consumption occasion was disappearing?

We created a virtual store experience hosted on China’s most popular platform for young people, QQ.

Using Unreal Engine 4, the KFC Re:Store combines traditional Chinese craft, cutting edge technology and deep platform understanding.

BRING THE SWAG

We designed avatar costumes and merchandise, tailormade furniture, a virtual pet named Fengwan and even our own currency, Chicken Coins-a first for the platform. Users can run virtual businesses and earn Chicken Coins to pay for virtual furniture and other assets.

MAKE IT SOCIAL

Users can dance, play, and hang out with friends and a virtual Colonel Saunders (the first non-player character on the platform). Within five weeks, 850M chats with Colonel Sanders took place.

KEEP IT SEAMLESS

180M virtual KFC food items have sold in five weeks, but what matters most is turning the virtual store into a real world revenue driver. In a world first for the platform, users can order in the metaverse and have their order delivered in the real world. This revolutionary borderless commerce approach is in Beta today and will launch to all in July, establishing a new commercial model for brands in the QQ platform.