KFC Thailand’s Must-Have Iconic Bucket Hat Goes Viral

July got off to a flying start with KFC Thailand’s Bucket Hat frenzy that saw friends and family, young and old, flocking to their favourite restaurant, for a piece of the love. It was bucket-hat mania - with a national sell out of bucket hats within 10 days!

For a limited time only, KFC sounded the call far and wide, to all its crispy fried fans to pick up a free KFC Bucket Hat with every purchase of the Porjai Bucket Menu. The result: a 285% increase in brand engagement, with an unprecedented socials explosion across Google and TikTok – all the while, delivering happiness and family fun too.         

Thousands of customers posted ‘hatfies’ and videos of themselves wearing the long-time iconic red and white KFC Bucket Hats, boasting creative and quirky ways of styling their hats to match their outfits.

“The response has been astounding,” says Sakechai Choomuenwai, general manager of KFC Thailand. “From the first day of launch, our customers wasted no time in sporting their hats to school and the office, on the streets, on planes and across their socials; it’s been a joy to witness the true effect of our KFC buckets now coming to life as a lifestyle legacy,” adds Sakechai.  

The promotion was designed to build brand love with a KFC iconic asset, and thereby deliver on its famed quality buckets brimming with hot, hand-fried crispy chicken pieces; the kind of buckets Thais have come to love and expect from their Colonel’s coop, since 1952. What was not expected, however, was the country’s zealous response to KFC’s striped bucket hat giveaway, making this a viral phenomenon of brand love and appreciation.

“It’s a viral sensation that has certainly left its mark in our brand history,” says Sakechai, “and it affirms for us that all it takes to get happy is a bucket of crispy deliciousness, a secret recipe and a hat to match,” ends Sakechai.   

While most Thais got their fair share of bucket repartee, some may have missed their chance to show off their KFC drip. Do not flap, friends – here’s a heads up that KFC has a whole lot more instore for their fans, come August, so it’s best to stay on top of social media to keep a close eye on things.

While fans wait in the wings for their next chicken surprise, it’s hats off to KFC Thailand for another trending fry-up this year - and a bucket campaign as original as the Colonel’s recipe itself.