Fried Chicken Paws? How KFC Thailand Turned Viral Butterbear Meme Into Brand Love

It started with a viral meme. Fans of Thai Bakery, Butterbear, noticed Nong Noey – the brand’s beloved mascot – has paws that closely resemble friend chicken. KFC did not hesitate to grab this opportunity, especially considering that Nong Noey is known for enjoying fried chicken herself.

“Nong Noey has a cheerful, playful, mischievous personality with a good sense of humour, which aligns with KFC Thailand’s brand image,” comments associate marketing director, Patra Patrasuwan. “In addition, she has a loyal fan base similar to Colonel Sanders, so we saw the opportunity to collaborate with Butterbear by introducing Nong Noey as Colonel Sanders’ new daughter.”

Through an exclusive ‘Meet & Eat’ event where fans could interact with Nong Noey and collect adorable souvenirs such as limited-edition buckets, fried chicken hair clips, and fluffy mittens as soft as Nong Noey’s paws, the collaboration created huge buzz around the viral meme, delivering a highly engaging fan experience that resulted in a 49% increase in KFC’s sales.

From a hunger-inducing live rendition of a Thai song, to Q&A sessions, 1:1 photo opportunities, a message station and more, “each activity reflected the Thai love for food and meaningful relationships, enhancing the bond that they share with both Nong Noey and KFC,” Patra says. Alongside this, KFC Thailand introduced a special collaboration menu featuring exclusive stickers.

​

“The challenge was turning a campaign that began as a viral meme into a memorable, real campaign that could preserve the unique identities of both brands while ensuring the collaboration felt seamless and natural,” Patra shares. “Luckily, both KFC and Butterbear are brands with strong, distinctive images and loyal fan bases, which made this collaboration a perfect match.” 

The campaign received 24.8 million engagements online with  #KFCxButterbear trending across social platforms. “The response we received solidified KFC’s relationship with its audience, showing that fun and engagement can drive not just social media buzz but real-world sales.”

Reflecting over the success of the campaign, Patra says, “This campaign demonstrated how a simple, playful idea can turn into a viral sensation and connect with audiences on a deeper level. The more personal and engaging the experience, the stronger the connection with fans. The event was a reminder that consumers connect with brands not just through products but through experiences that make them feel good and bring joy into their lives. We’re excited for future opportunities to engage with our fans in new, creative ways while continuing to strengthen our brand’s connection with them.”