BBDO and KFC part company in Malaysia after 19 years

Jennifer Chan (pictured), the group chief executive of BBDO/Proximity Malaysia, said the split followed a change of ownership of the KFC franchise, which is now operated by a division of J-Corp, the Johor state government's investment arm.

The business will shift to McCann Erickson, which claimed the estimated RM25 million (US$7.7 million) account after a four-way credentials pitch believed to involve Ogilvy & Mather as well as the incumbent.

Of course we’re sad, having to take a separate path," said Chan. The fact that our work has been testimony to the now-robust KFC brand is something we’re extremely proud of.

"We’d like to believe our contribution over the decades is a result of where the brand is today – be it from a business, financial and creative perspective, she continued.

A highlight of the KFC/BBDO relationship came when KFC became a RM1 billion company. During BBDO’s tenure, the brand has sustained high levels of brand recall, and has won numerous creative awards at AdFest, One Show and Cannes.

We’re really looking forward to other exciting challenges on the road ahead, Chan added. I wish KFC the best and as on every journey, I truly believe our paths will cross again.

The news follows seven months after BBDO relinquished control of the KFC business in Singapore, where the account is now also handled by McCann.