Chicken Wars

Who will reign Chicken Supreme?

Once a year, all of South Africa unites to celebrate the best use of chicken in advertising. Each year the greatest minds in the country converge to showcase their chicken campaigns, each hoping to reign supreme at the annual Chicken Wars!

First there was Nando’s, who under the tutelage of Gordon Ray at M&C Saatchi Abel was guided to a Grand Prix at the Loeries for Print Communication in 2016, and again in 2018 for Print Communication. Gordon continued to crush it with yet another Grand Prix, this time in film with the “Afro-tising” campaign directed by Teboho Malope at Star Films.

The advent of Joe Public’s work for Chicken Licken ushered in a new chapter in chicken advertising: Brand of the Year, year after year, like clockwork. The fact that Greg Gray of Romance Films won a Gold Loerie for them for three years in a row is nothing to sneer at. Leaving many people wondering, what is Greg Gray’s secret? When reached for comment, we were informed by his publicist that he’s out swimming. Ever enigmatic, this legendary team has forever carved their names in the annals of Chicken World History!

But wait. This reporter was informed by a dirty little bird that there’s a new cock in town. The dirty bird himself: KFC.

Since 2023, KFC’s been racking up numbers. First came “Anything for the Taste” — directed by Greg Gray, who scooped Gold in Film for Ogilvy SA. KFC also walked away with Integrated Campaigns, plus a Grand Prix for good measure. Next, in 2024, KFC upsized with Kim Geldenhuys’s cinematic epic “Beyond the Sea.” This kept the pressure up, and at the 2024 Loeries they won Gold for Ogilvy South Africa.

Word on the street is that Bruno’s new KFC commercial is some kind of hit. Can Joe Public stand their ground with their latest spot directed by Peter Pohorsky? Will Nando’s suddenly appear from a bush like some sort of ninja and karate chop them in the neck?

Only time will tell. Tensions have reached a boiling point as the country waits with bated breath. The question on everyone’s lips: Whose chicken will reign supreme in the 2025 CHICKEN WARS!

• Written by an intern