KFC airing ads only kids can hear
April 11, 2007
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — KFC is pitching its newest menu item using The MosquitoTone, a high frequency tone allegedly heard by only segments of the population. The tone is embedded in a new KFC television advertisement to introduce the Boneless Variety Bucket.
Customers who can guess where the sound is placed in the ad will have an opportunity to be among the first to try the Boneless Variety Bucket. The sound is too high-pitched for most adults to hear. According to KFC, most people begin to lose the ability to hear high-frequency tones around at age 20.
The new KFC Boneless Variety Bucket includes four crispy strips, eight boneless honey barbeque wings and a large popcorn chicken for $9.99 at participating restaurants.
The first 1,000 people who log onto KFC.com and can guess where the MosquitoTone is embedded will win $10 in KFC gift checks, which may be used toward the purchase of the new Boneless Variety Bucket. The offer kicks off April 11 when the Boneless Variety Bucket ad debuts nationally. No purchase is necessary.
The Mosquito Device was originally invented by Howard Stapleton of Compound Security Systems and is now a popular ringtone among teenagers using a 17.6 kHz constant buzzing sound. Around age 20, people begin to lose the ability to hear tones in the highest frequency and most people over the age of 30 cannot hear the tone.