KFC frequently cross-border games, more often it is actually what they need.
Editor’s note: This article is from the micro-channel public number “hedgehog commune” (ID: ciweigongshe), Author: Hedgehog commune editorial department.
Author | Chen Bin
Edit | Shi Can
After 6 weeks, the popular game “Yuan Shen” has been updated with a new version 1.4. At this time, the top spot on the game charts in many countries has to give way. This “new army”, which has been online for less than half a year, has achieved the highest record in the App Store bestseller list in 27 countries at the same time.
But this time it’s a little different. Compared with the game version update, the linkage between “Original God” and KFC is more eye-catching.
The picture is from Weibo
On March 8, the linkage between “Original God” and KFC was officially launched. Players who purchase designated packages can obtain redemption codes in exchange for in-game limited items. In addition, you can also receive a limited-edition physical linkage badge after you go to the designated store to shout the slogan “Encounter in another world, enjoy the deliciousness” during the event.
Although this set of redemption codes can only be used after the game is updated to 1.4 on March 17, it can’t stop the players’ enthusiasm for participation, and even makes KFC a bit unbearable.
On the third day of the event, the topic of “KFC App Crash” rushed into hot searches. In view of the fact that the “Original God x KFC” linkage was the only activity at that time, it is basically certain that there is a part of the “Original God” player. The scalpers stared at the limited linkage badges and lined up overnight to buy them. On the Xianyu App, the most expensive linkage badge has been photographed for 199 yuan.
Picture intercepted from Xianyu
“The Original God” is not the first game linked with KFC. Not only that, KFC seems to be in the eyes of a game company”Fragrant Pastry”.
In recent years, popular games such as “Honor of Kings”, “Onmyoji”, “Tomorrow’s Ark”, “War of Double Pamish” and other popular games have frequently played various brand linkages with KFC. KFC just ended the linkage with the 2020 dark horse mobile game “Hundred Scenes of the South of the Yangtze River” before the start of the linkage with “Original God”.
KFC and Onmyoji link themed store
In the field of e-sports, KFC has a deeper layout: not only is the long-term partner of the League of Legends professional tournament LPL, but also introduced the role of “Captain KI” in the event, which is given in real time at the beginning and during the game Prediction of the outcome of both teams. Nowadays, discussing whether the prediction of “Captain KI” is reasonable has long been an indispensable experience in LPL watching.
Colon KI in the LPL competition
KFC frequently cross-border games, and more often it actually takes what they need.
The low customer repurchase rate has always been a structural pain point for catering companies. In the case of having the right to choose, even if the user likes a restaurant, he usually will not patronize it every day, and people still need to find freshness in the food. One of KFC’s solutions is to deepen users’ brand awareness and loyalty through brand marketing, thereby influencing its audience to eat as much as possible.
Therefore, KFC chose idol stars and gaming e-sports in marketing: both of these tracks have the most loyal young users.
The celebrity endorsed Weibo, and the forwarding volume directly exceeded one million
For more games, in addition to giving back to existing core players, the purpose of brand marketing is still to break the circle. Games are by far the most complex content consumption carrier, so there is a natural threshold for many groups of players who have not been exposed to games. After all, KFC is a well-known catering brand, and it is a perfect place to break the circle.
In this “Original God x KFC” linkage, the offline counter-slogan event that players nicknamed “the scene of social death” was obviously designed for the purpose of breaking the circle.
In the past when KFC was linked with a certain two-dimensional game, there was a player post that caused widespread discussion on social media: When the player went to the store to buy the linkage package, because the clerk did not understand the game, he casually said ” Give him a two-dimensional package”, which made the player feel “social death”.
Perhaps due to the influence of circle culture, many old two-dimensional users usually don’t like to expose their interests and preferences in unfamiliar environments, even today when the two-dimensional culture is becoming more and more influential.
The marketing strategy of “Original God” that went the other way, naturally earned enough attention. On the first day of the linkage activity, various pictures and narratives have been screened in major game communities, especially the topic of “two-dimensional bucket” is more for players to talk about. The well-made limited edition badge also allows the core players to accept this embarrassing but not “social death” activity.
Despite both the topic and traffic, the follow-up trend of the “Original God x KFC” linkage is somewhat “out of control”.
The enthusiasm of the players greatly exceeded expectations. The limited edition badges were quickly sent out, and many players lined up all night and still failed to do so. The store where the offline linkage was held in Shanghai happened to be near Mihayou. Some netizens took photos of Mihayou’s president “Big Viagra” Liu Wei, who failed to buy a limited set of meals and went home empty-handed.
On March 15th, KFC stores in Hangzhou and Shanghai violated the relevant regulations on epidemic prevention gathering due to too many people in line, and the activities were directly stopped.
Picture cut from Weibo
At the same time, when the game was updated to version 1.4 recently, players found that when they bought the package at this time, the “Original God” theme packaging barrel used for packaging was no longer in stock, and switched to KFC’s original packaging. , Have complained to KFC customer service. For many players who directly participated in live events, the experience was not good.
The original god theme packaging barrel/photographed by the hedgehog commune
KFC’s brand marketing department obviously underestimated the influence of “Original God”, and it has a slight lack of knowledge of the game industry.
According to the news, KFC conducted a joint participation willingness survey on Weibo before the opening of the event. As a result, it concluded that participation was low and refused to print the “Yuanshen” theme packaging bucket. However, Weibo game communities other than e-sports are not active, especially the two-dimensional game community, which led to the unexpected situation of this event.
In fact, it is not the first time that KFC and game companies have “rolled over”.
People in the game industry have told The Hedgehog Commune (ID: ciweigongshe) that KFC selected a new burger set as a product linked to a popular two-dimensional game, but did not inform the other party that it invited Idol endorses the same product. After the event went live, idol fans found that gamers were also spending for this, and pointed out that “gaming against older brothers is hot”, which eventually led to a small-scale online community scolding war.
For game companies, the prerequisite for getting out of the circle is still to safeguard the interests of existing core players. The frequent occurrence of car rollovers is really not worth the loss for the game company.
Even so, KFC’s large and active user audience, young and active brand marketing is still inevitably coveted by game companies. Today, when it is increasingly difficult for game products to acquire new users, the two parties may continue to “love and kill each other”.