Chicken Licken and Joe Public Find Inner Peace in Epic Time-Travelling Campaign

You’ll never guess where Chicken Licken is heading next. Or perhaps the right question is when? In its latest TV ad creation in partnership with brand and communications agency Joe Public United, Chicken Licken goes on a journey through the centuries, back in time, all in the name of peace.

Inner peace is what Rock My Soul is all about, but this time the creative team wanted to take the famously friendly South African vibes and see what happens when it's spread across the world, and even across time itself, via Thato the ‘Time Traveller’. The film stars Sherldon Marema as guy-next-door Thato, who becomes an unsuspecting interdimensional hero, armed only with his chilled out attitude and Rock My Soul meal.

You can check out the epic film below:

Of course, Chicken Licken is central to the ad in more ways than one, with the store at the end revealing a conceptual twist (spoiler alert) relating to your till slip.

“Chicken Licken ads are known and loved for being quirky,” explained Xolisa Dyeshana, Joe Public, CCO. “That’s why the order number idea felt so right. If there’s any place that could just magically transport you backwards and forwards in time, it would be a Chicken Licken store.”

The long-format film takes you on a thrilling trip, from being in the thick of a battle between Roman gladiators to a far-off future where a rampaging chimpanzee cyborg is stopped in its hydraulic tracks by Thato, our unexpected ambassador for peace. He even pops in to support South Africa’s female president in 2047.

An integrated campaign approach which includes TV, social media, digital, outdoor and activations to keep the campaign going forward, and backward, in time. “We have all of history and the future to inspire us all, which is what makes this such a fun creative campaign,” added creative team duo Natalie Walker and Jeanine Vermaak.

Produced and directed by Alan Irvin of They Films, the film delivers a crafted and entertaining journey, with superb visual effects by Sinister Studios to really take the viewer along for the ride with Thato.

So although Chicken Licken only opened its doors in 1981, its story is far more far-reaching throughout time. Because Rock My Soul has been serving peace since forever.