KFC plans to advance a global brand refresh in the coming months, covering menu innovation, restaurant design, and visual updates. According to Marketing Dive, this move comes as the fried chicken chain faces intensifying competition in its core category, and the company believes it is an opportunity to re-establish its advantage in domestic and international markets, with overseas markets remaining the primary engine of brand growth.

"KFC pioneered the fried chicken category, and we want to write the next chapter not just for our brand but for the entire category," said Valerie Kubizniak, KFC's global chief marketing officer. "Our internal ambition is to set the standard for modern fried chicken fast food."

The new strategy revolves around multiple pillars. KFC is increasing its focus on chicken tender products to cater to consumer demand for sauces, drawing on experience from its Saucy concept stores. Meanwhile, the brand will launch the Dunked series, which immerses chicken tenders, wings, and sandwiches in sauce. Additionally, as beverage innovation accelerates in the fast food industry, KFC will expand its Kwench sub-brand for signature drinks and experiment with new restaurant designs, including an open-concept location in McKinney, Texas, and a two-story restaurant in Dubai.

"People's eating habits are becoming irregular, snacking trends are prominent, and fixed meal times are gradually becoming a thing of the past... We want to ensure the menu evolves accordingly," Kubizniak said. "We know the beverage space is hot... This helps us attract younger consumers and open up new consumption occasions."

To integrate these new initiatives, KFC will update its brand visuals, covering packaging, digital platforms, advertising, and restaurant environments. The iconic bucket and Colonel Sanders image will be fine-tuned. KFC's approach is similar to recent brand refreshes by Domino's and Sprite, which modernized visual identities without major disruption, while brands like Jaguar and Cracker Barrel have sparked controversy with radical overhauls.

"This is a true business strategy, not just a marketing-level rebrand. One of the worst things marketers can do is change the logo without making other changes," Kubizniak said. "We have many unique brand assets... We are using these tools to gradually optimize different elements, ensuring the brand presents a fresher, bolder, and more dynamic image."

Drawing on other markets and group resources

The brand refresh will first launch in the UK and Ireland this month, then expand to Australia, the US, and other markets. This move aims to drive growth in KFC's international business, which has long been considered a growth engine by parent company Yum! Brands. Over the past four quarters, two-year same-store sales in that division have continued to accelerate. Meanwhile, US system sales fell 2%, and the US is currently KFC's third-largest market, behind China and Europe.

"KFC in the US is in a 'return period,' and I believe the strategy we are implementing globally applies equally to the US," Kubizniak said. "The difference lies in timing. The US market may be a few years behind international markets because their starting points are different."

Even before the global refresh plan, KFC US had begun addressing declining growth. Last summer, the brand re-centered Colonel Sanders in its marketing, a campaign seen as an apology for underperformance. In April, the Colonel returned with a song and music video to promote the brand's value meals. Additionally, KFC hired former Wingstop chief marketing officer Melissa Cash as its US chief marketing officer.

"Our strategy across 151 global markets is highly aligned. The task of local marketing teams is to find culturally appropriate ways to tell our story," Kubizniak said, citing KFC Australia's campaign promoting honey mustard sauce as 'liquid gold.'

Beyond sharing experiences globally, KFC also benefits from synergies with sister brand Taco Bell and Yum's internal consulting arm, Collider Labs. Taco Bell US has experience to share in collaboration and loyalty programs, while KFC International provides cultural insights from different markets. Collider Labs, as a 'source of truth,' recently held a session on Generation Alpha for KFC's global marketing team.

"Our global scale is a major advantage," Kubizniak said. "We have different strengths to learn from each other, and the Collider team provides deep insights we consistently rely on."

Correction: A previous version of this article attributed a data point to the wrong category.