Settings

ⓕ font-size

  • -2
  • -1
  • 0
  • +1
  • +2

KFC Korea hit for 'free-riding' on World Cup fever

  • Facebook share button
  • Twitter share button
  • Kakao share button
  • Mail share button
  • Link share button
KFC Korea used the term,
KFC Korea used the term, "Russia World Cup," on its official blog to promote its new value meal named "World Party Bucket."

KFC Korea CEO Eom Ik-soo
KFC Korea CEO Eom Ik-soo
By Park Jae-hyuk

KFC Korea, which lacks a sponsorship agreement with FIFA, has apparently exploited World Cup fever, as it used the term "Russia World Cup" on its official blog to promote its new value meal named "World Party Bucket."

According to FIFA regulations, non-sponsors cannot use the wordmark "World Cup," including its equivalent in all languages or scripts, because the wordmark is protected as intellectual property. FIFA has strictly prohibited such marketing activity, citing, "It puts FIFA's commercial programs directly at risk by trying to devalue official sponsorship."

The chicken franchise seems to be struggling to avoid criticism, given it was well aware of the regulations.

"KFC is not an official sponsor of the Russia World Cup," said a spokesman from PRGATE, KFC Korea's PR agency. "As far as I know, a non-sponsor's marketing not directly mentioning the term, World Cup, does not go against FIFA regulations."

As he said, KFC Korea was clearly trying to be careful about the recently released value meal's graphic, although its intent is blatant. Ads show the KFC meal in front of a football field backdrop, and English copy shows the 'o' in "World" as a football.

The company was more careful about using the term on its official Facebook page, which can have more international visitors than its official Naver blog.

The fast food franchise, which uploaded a posting on Sunday about the first goal in a match between Sweden and South Korea, edited it a few hours later to erase the term, "2018 Russia World Cup."

However, it has yet to edit the ad on its Naver blog.

KFC Korea edited a posting on its Facebook page to erase the term,
KFC Korea edited a posting on its Facebook page to erase the term, "2018 Russia World Cup."

FIFA has shown serious concern over ambush marketers that take advantage of the goodwill and positive image generated by the World Cup without contributing to the organization. The official sponsors of FIFA reportedly pay at least $1 billion to use the official emblem and advertise in stadiums.

McDonald's is the only official fast food chain that sponsors the World Cup. However, the hamburger chain's local affiliate has not carried out any marketing related to the 2018 Russia World Cup here, unlike KFC Korea.


Park Jae-hyuk pjh@koreatimes.co.kr


X
CLOSE

Top 10 Stories

go top LETTER