You hear KFC and you think yummy fried chicken in a spicy coating, fries, coleslaw, fizzy drinks, and general calorific goodness. Your mind does not, generally, skip immediately to fire safety equipment. Well, maybe not for much longer.
The fast-food chain KFC is giving the princely sum of $7,500 to Indianapolis and Brazil (the Indiana city, not the South American country) so that it can emblazon the face of their founder – the mighty Colonel Sanders – on their fire hydrants and fire extinguishers. This is to advertise their new ‘fiery’ chicken wings. You see the link there…clever…no?
KFC told the cities that it wanted to help them to improve their fire safety by helping them to pay for new hydrants and extinguishers. They would buy the equipment, and then they would put their shiny adverts onto them. Indianapolis is going to receive $5,000 to buy fire extinguishers and smoke detectors. These extinguishers are going to be placed in recreation centres that are in the city’s parks, and the smoke detectors are going to be handed out by fire officials. The extinguishers will display the KFC logo for at least a month.
In Brazil (yes, again, the city, not the country), the local newspaper had reported that dozens of hydrants in the city were out of service. KFC consequently approached officials in the city, and suggested that they purchase new hydrants for them, in exchange for advertising space on them. As the city was fairly strapped for cash, the Mayor had no hesitation in accepting the offer.
The city will be given $2,500 by KFC, so that it can put its logo and actual chicken buckets on at least three of the city fire hydrants, including one near the courthouse, and the post office. The mayor said that the city intends to use the money to repair existing hydrants, or to buy new ones. She also said she would be willing to discuss similar arrangements with other companies.
Experts are saying that more and more ads like this are going to start appearing on public property, as companies are looking to do something that’s a bit different. People are becoming ‘immune’ to traditional marketing methods in print, on television and outside, so marketers are finding new places to reach consumers. As people are ignoring advertising in the normal places, putting adverts in unusual and unlikely places will get their attention, at least to start off with.
So, be aware, lovely reader. Next time you are in America, you could get some chicken with your fire safety equipment. Hmmm…
