Hot Topics: KFC Again!

Nutritionally, I struggled with the decision to write two back to back postings about KFC.   It’s like oatmeal peanut butter cookies...I can’t resist.  As I discussed last week, KFC announced their new sandwich “The Double Down.” The Double Down consists of two fried chicken breasts, four pieces of cheese, two bacon strips, and the Colonel’s special sauce.  This week there’s another campaign! The KFC promotions and advertising departments must be putting in overtime! However this week KFC took a complete 180 from the Double Down Sandwich.  KFC has introduced the “Buckets for the Cure" campaign.  KFC is is fighting breast cancer, and needs the public to do their part by purchasing their fried chicken in their new pink bucket.

“The commemorative pink buckets pay tribute to 376 cancer survivors and those who have lost their battle by featuring their names on the packaging.” www.kfc.com

From now until May 9th, 50 cents from every pink bucket purchase will be donated to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and used for local breast cancer education, screening and treatment programs.    KFC is hoping to raise 8 million dollars, which will be the largest donation ever made to breast cancer research.  According to Twitter, they are at the $850,000 mark.

I’m in full support of raising money, and awareness for breast cancer, but this is a case of awkward timing and an awkward partnership.

Awkward timing: I wonder if this was the strategy: announce a heart stopping sandwich then immediately announce a program that fights one of the other leading causes of death among Americans.   Also, breast cancer awareness month is October . Every month is a good month to work with a good cause, but usually it is during those months when we see these types of promotions.  Maybe we're celebrating its half-birthday?

Awkward Partnership: I’m pretty sure I paid close attention in my nutrition classes, but I don’t remember anyone saying “fight breast cancer with chicken.” or even “fight breast cancer with grilled chicken” or even “fight breast cancer with grilled, organic chicken.”

There is buzz around this. Marion Nestle reflected on the chicken buckets in her Food Politics Blog:

“Scientists are still arguing about the dietary determinants of breast cancer and aren’t too worried about fat, but they do worry about body weight.  Maintaining a healthy body weight is still the first recommendation of the American Cancer Society, for example.  Isn’t this campaign an incentive to buy as many buckets of KFC as you can?” 

Blogger Jacquelynn D. Powers put it quite well,

“Does that cancel out all of the cholesterol and obesity the Double Down will certainly inflict upon the American public? Isn't the fast food chain fixing one problem while causing another one? Don't get me wrong: I'm not the Grinch of fast food. I just think that celebrating such an egregious "sandwich" while advocating for a healthy cause at the same time seems a bit hypocritical -- even for the Colonel.” 

I’m still standing here confused, but my boyfriend just made a connection, “maybe we can fight human breast cancer with chicken breasts...?” Eh?