The campaign plays on a popular local phrase, 'you never eat rice', a Malaysian colloquialism which - when said in English, Chinese or Bahasa Malaysia - playfully mocks those who appear feeble or lacking in energy.
A series of TVCs have broken along with print, radio and in-store activity to support the launch of the Colonel Rice Combo, a new meal from KFC that includes a portion of flavoured rice as well as the trademark chicken.
The commercials feature scenarios in which people struggle with the simplest tasks. In one spot, a woman is unable to open a packet of crisps; in another, a man fails to blow up a balloon. The endline reads: 'We must have rice!' (or 'Kita mesti makan nasi!' in Malay).
"The beauty of the 'you never eat rice' expression is that it's common to all languages spoken in Malaysia," said Jennifer Chan, CEO of BBDO Malaysia. "We all grew up on rice - it's a food that's most associated with having a good, full meal."
The launch of the Colonel Rice Combo - which surpassed any other KFC product in terms of its contribution to sales when it launched in East Malaysia last year - coincides with calls from the Government to curb fast food advertising in a bid to tackle Malaysia's growing obesity problem.
The industry is expected
to move towards a self-regulatory model, which would result in fast food TV advertisments removed from the airwaves during children's peak viewing times.
