KFC recently released an ad that many view as mocking Christianity and baptism in particular – and now the restaurant is getting Kentucky fried by commenters online.
The two-minute ad, entitled ‘BELIEVE PART 2: ALL HAIL GRAVY’, features a man getting submerged into a lake of gravy in what many commenters understood as a parody and mockery of the religious rite of baptism.
Now, KFC and angry Christians online are playing chicken – and neither side is backing down.
A Gravy Misfire?
The ad is undoubtedly strange, depicting a lost man in the woods following a chicken, which leads him to a group of cultists. The cultists carry a giant golden egg to a glistening river of gravy, where the man is picked up and dunked into it by one of the cult members.
He emerges not as a man… but as a drumstick.
The ad may be surreal, but is it offensive? Yes, at least if the reaction online is anything to go off of. In the wake of the ad’s debut, KFC is facing an internet backlash not seen since the time they discontinued the Famous Bowl.
Demonic Drumstick?
“Creepy and demonic,” is how one YouTube user described the ad in a comment which received thousands of likes. “This was all sorts of Satanic,” stated a different commenter. “Now, I am not 100% religious, but I recognize the Devil when I see him…” added another. At the heart of countless comments was the same sentiment: “Too Satanic, never eating KFC again.”
Comment after comment, each with thousands of likes, blasting the ad as an offensive mockery of Christianity, and the rite of baptism in particular. And that’s not all: The ad’s been accused of promoting everything from cultism, to idol worship, and even cannibalism.
And yet amidst those seemingly endless accusations, some of the complaints leveraged against the chicken giant remain age-old grievances. “Yall spent 2.5 Million on this commercial,” wrote one user, ”just for the gravy to taste like the soles of my goddamned boots.”
Finger Lickin’ Blasphemy
The ad was intended to be provocative and memorable, but they didn’t set out to offend the faithful, the company claims. It was intended simply as a “modern-day fable.” So far, it seems like the fable may not be resonating with audiences in the way KFC hoped.
Hundreds of complaints have been filed at the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). “We’re currently assessing these to establish whether there are grounds for further action,” stated an ASA spokesperson. “But just to be clear, we’ve not launched an investigation at this stage.”
KFC wanted to “bring an entertaining antidote to this dull, chaotic world,” explains Monica Silic, chief marketing officer of KFC U.K. and Ireland. "This is about inspiring the fandom. We’re clear on having a role in culture, which is to bring some lightness and levity to the chaotic world through the truth of our product."
The ad sought to push creative boundaries, but it seems it may not have pushed in the direction KFC wanted – at least if the backlash is anything to go by. Yet as the negative reactions to the ad keep rolling in, KFC is standing firm, and so far has refused to back down on the controversial campaign.
What is your reaction to KFC’s new ‘Believe’ ad? Is the ad outrageous, or is the response overblown?
21 comments
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Katelynne Shouse
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....Christofascist are such maroons!
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James Riggle-Johnson
I don’t understand why KFC thought this was a good commercial in the first place. The guy got submerged in a lake of gravy and came out as a fried chicken leg. It was blasphemy, it was just stupid. I don’t recall anything about baptism involving gravy and chicken legs. Any Christian should be able to tell the difference. You just want to get mad at something.
And… ATTENTION ALL CHRISTIANS: Not everything is about you. I was one of you until you drove me away. You are not under attack, and your religious freedom is not in jeopardy. The Book of Magic/Incantations/Fairy Tales and Fables was written by men who said God was sending them messages. They are not unlike the men of today. Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, did not receive a message from God telling him he was the modern-day Moses. That was his ego, not unlike the men who wrote the bible.
Christians are not being arrested for praying. You are not being told to stop practicing your religion.Churches are not being given cease and desist orders. Being asked to stop telling the rest of us how to live is not an attack. It’s telling you to mind your own business. You claim to support a parent's right to decide what their children can learn and then scream child abuse because another parent wants to teach their child something different. Stop being hypocritical, and maybe we can all live in peace. Just my two cents.
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Daniel Todd Kamm
Wow... some people will grind any ax... and this is one scores a 98% on my "most petty" scale.
A fried chicken commercial depicting someone being dipped in gravy? That has a lot less to do with bathing or pruification rituals than something ...sensual... something thick...and greasy...and "bad" for you... that you can dip your "man" in and then...well. it's finger lickin' good...
Please. Those that doth protest are either Idiots, imbeciles, or morons... or simply jealous because they weren't something anyone wanted to dip.
Peace out... tk
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Stephanie A Willey
Watched the ad ... best laugh of my day, thank you very much. BTW, a dear friend worked for a time at a local KFC and was in charge of both cleaning the big deep fryers and making the gravy. Her best advise, DON'T eat the gravy, and you may not want to know where it comes from.
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James Riggle-Johnson
I have some ideas of where it comes from but it still tastes so good. Lol!
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John P Maher
WHY BLASPHEMY CHICKENs ER CHRISTIANs TOO !!!
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Keith D
Seems, actually, that Druids and shamans would have a more legitimate gripe. But either they're not tied to a vengeful god like a certain collection of Christian flavors is, or they have a sense of humor, or they're just too dignified to bother jumping into such a ludicrous fray.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
The attack against Christians and the VP has started and this is just the start. With our Christian VP Vance saying EDUCATION IS THE ENEMY this is how the educated are responding. Wait didn't Vance go to Yale to get educated? Now he wants to attack the instruction who educated him?
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ServantOfJudgement
I don't remember seeing or hearing Vance say Education is The Enemy.
I listen to NPR every day and if anyone would play that sound bite they would.
In other news Kamala Harris said "Education is The Enemy". It was weird to hear an educated person say that. Why would she attack the institution who educated her.
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Colleen McAllister
Mocking? No. Stupid. Yes. Creepy. Definitely. I see no reason to protest bad taste, pun intended. Not a KFC fan and this ad is unlikely to change that.
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Reverend Paula Copp
It’s a totally bizarre ad, but it’s no more pro-cannibalism than the Eucharist ritual… In fact, I think they should hand out chicken nuggets as the Eucharist wafers… There’s something definitely off about this commercial, but it has nothing to do with religion…
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Lionheart
Is there a good reason why religion shouldn't be mocked? I'm just asking for a friend of mine that actually believes a 13, or 14 year old girl gave birth to a child having been impregnated by a deity, and her boyfriend was not only ok with it, but also went along with it. I know it's sounds silly, but I'm serious. I personally don't think it will ever catch on.....right? 🤭
🦁♥️
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Stephanie A Willey
Lionheart, have you read the works of Joseph Campbell ? The virgin birth of the hero / savior is a common and recurring story throughout human mythologies.
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Douglas Robert Spindler
Right. Christians just stole the story from other religons.
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Lionheart
Joseph Campbell did indeed lead a very interesting life. I love his mantra, “Follow your bliss”, which of course most people do, as long as people don’t insist you have to follow their bliss. 🤭
🦁❤️
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Timothy C Stone
LMAO! That is the weirdest ad I have ever seen. First of all KFC gravy sucks, second, is this ad about cannibalism? And really, if you are offended that is on you. Stupid but does get you attention.
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Nicholas J Page
Why mock religion what is wrong with people and companies anything to make a quick buck.
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BlackAngelP
I can see how it COULD be seen as offensive… But honestly, it’s just really… REALLY stupid. 😂
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Michael Howard Schrader
It is really stretching it to call it mocking baptism. He was a lost chicken piece the whole time, and the gravy revealed his true self. Lots of people dunk their KFC in gravy. Subtlety is lost on those who want to always be offended.
The very same people offended by this are OK with starving children, calling the orange menace :sent by God", etc etc. Hypocrisy at it's best.
I totally understand what you mean, and likewise, without a doubt, the beach dweller, sleepy Joe Biden, was definitely not a calling from God.🤭
🦁❤️