Back in October 2015, KFC used mobile location technology to tempt consumers into its restaurants and away from competitors in a campaign to promote its new burrito food range.
Case study summary
⦁ Fast food chain uses location tech to target smartphone users near stores
⦁ KFC found that the most receptive demographic to location-based targeting were busy parents with families
⦁ Drove a click through rate 40 per cent above the industry benchmark
The Challenge
As mobile ad targetting technology gets ever-more sophisticated, KFC wanted to find ways to drive footfall into their stores by reaching local passers by on their smartphones.
The solution
The fast food brand used the technology to drive nearby consumers into KFC stores through proximity targeting and conquest ads at competitor locations.
KFC worked with xAd to target consumers to identify and reach the relevant target audience for the brand. Blue449 acted as media agency.
The fast food chain found that the most receptive demographic to location-based targeting were busy parents with families and this insight drove KFC to tailor its campaign for this segment with dynamic creative which showed the distance to the nearest store.
Jenny Packwood, head of digital, PR & brand communications at KFC, said: “Our target audience tends to be young adults and busy families who are becoming more and more reliant on their mobile devices to make their lives easier. Leveraging the most accurate location technology helps us reach our audience at the right place and at the right time with offers that are relevant to them."
The result
The three month-long campaign launched in March 2015 and KFC said that in addition to an uplift in store visitation, the campaign showed that engaging with customers nearby KFC stores drove a click through rate 40 per cent above the industry benchmark.
Theo Theodorou, head of EMEA at xAd, added: “The quick service restaurant market is a competitive one with restaurants battling it out to convert hungry and time sensitive customers. When it comes to sensing consumer appetite at the right time and in the right place, chains like KFC need to be increasingly innovative to engage their audience. Location data holds the power to deliver more personalised customer experiences. The better the understanding an advertiser has of the customer’s profile, in addition to their context, the more relevant they can be when targeting the individual.”
