News

Bottom's Up: KFC adds to Double Down backside promotion

October 11, 2010

KFC's new marketing plan for its bun-less Double Down sandwich, announced in September, features college females sporting the item's logo on the backside of their sweatpants.

The initial on-clothing ad campaign took place at three campuses in the country, and provided participating undergrads with a $500 stipend.

Now the promotion is spreading to three more universities. According to USA Today, co-eds at Colorado State University, Indiana University and James Madison University can sign up on KFC's Facebook page to be Double Down "ambassadors," wearing the bottom-focused pants and handing out $5 KFC coupons on campus for a day.

The idea behind the campaign is to attract KFC's target audience for the Double Down - young males.

The promotion began at Spalding University in Louisville, Ky., hometown of KFC's parent company Yum! Brands, and experienced a bit of backlash for its message.

Terry O'Neill, president of the National Organization for Women, called it "hideous .... 12-year-old boy humor."

More than 600 applications have been received on KFC's Facebook page for the campaign.

From the story:

"We support the right of local and national businesses to distribute information about their products and services to our campus community," says Mike Ellis, assistant vice president for student affairs at Colorado State University.