Source: Reba McEntire as KFC/Twitter
Reba McEntire will play Colonel Sanders in a new Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) campaign and the Internet is freaking out. Though there have been many changes made in the fight for gender equality, it seems that playing the role of the iconic Colonel is not an area where people want to see a radical change.
While there are some who supported the campaign, many were critical and pointed out that a woman can be a colonel without dressing like a man.
Others used words such as weird and creepy to describe the campaign and some suggested the creative team behind the ad should be fired.
The response was fast, swift, and furious. Photos and Gifs were quickly added to the official KFC Twitter thread and though official representatives with the fast-food chain weighed in, the comments didn’t tiptoe around the issue. Many simply felt that the campaign was a mistake.
You may see some examples of the photos, tweets, and GIFs that surfaced online following the announcement that Reba McEntire would portray Colonel Sanders below.
— Cole (@colessmm) January 26, 2018
Yeah, that’s just weird. pic.twitter.com/3DacctyZZb
— Michele G Allen (@MichiAllen) January 26, 2018
Introducing Colonel Sanders. Again. pic.twitter.com/wKompXpZ3v
— KFC (@kfc) January 26, 2018
Some advice: Fire your ad agency…
— US Historicus (@USHistoricus) January 26, 2018
While some defended the campaign and marketing strategy on social media and thought it was a win against sexism, others found the choice odd, pointless, and downright weird.
One person said that the choice of using a woman to play Colonel Sanders was more of a PR stunt than an actual statement.
Another user thought that those who were against Reba McEntire playing Colonel Sanders meant they were against transgender people. Someone argued that there are legitimate colonels in the Army who are women but do not dress like men.
One user said it looked like brand confusion and another argued how it would seem if the Wendy’s girl was played by a man.
While the debates continued and the overwhelming response was against the choice, several people suggested that Kentucky Fried Chicken bring back Saturday Night Live alum Norm Macdonald who played the “original Colonel.” You may see a video from that commercial below.
Nothing to see here, folks. Nope, nothin’ at all. Just the same old Colonel with a new flavor of fried chicken. pic.twitter.com/ju2omd07OC
— KFC (@kfc) January 26, 2018
While it’s still early in the new Reba McEntire, KFC campaign, the initial response appears to be overwhelmingly negative.
What do you think about the campaign? Do you think KFC made the right choice by using Reba McEntire to portray Colonel Sanders?
Do you agree with those who felt that Norm Macdonald was the best Colonel Sanders in recent history? Is it time women and men equally play each other’s roles without a thought about gender?
