KFC Ruffles Feathers with “All Hail Gravy” Ad

Imagine this: A man wanders through a shadowy forest, stumbles upon a group of eerie figures with a golden egg and is led to a lake of gravy. There, a woman ceremonially dunks him into the murky liquid, and he emerges—reborn—as a giant piece of fried chicken.

This isn’t the plot of a surreal horror flick. It’s the latest push from KFC, titled “All Hail Gravy,” released in March 2025 as part of their “Believe” campaign in the U.K. and Ireland. The ad prompted hundreds of complaints for its apparent mockery of Christian baptism. Unsurprisingly, KFC was unapologetic, with the brand’s agency, Mother, stating it aimed to be “polarizing” to spark conversation. Meanwhile, the U.K.’s advertising regulator determined the spot does not break advertising rules.

While KFC hoped the ad would grab attention and win fans, it’s been a mixed bag, with some Christians seeing it as a deeply offensive spin on a key belief.

A Recipe for Controversy

I reviewed the ad myself, and there is no denying the parallelism between the spot and Christian baptism beliefs. A man is lost. Then he is found. He is submerged. He reemerges changed. And then it ventures into bizarre territory as he’s not a changed man, but a piece of fried chicken for the cult.

After watching the two-minute spot, I wasn’t outraged. Unfortunately, nothing surprises me in Ad Land these days. My reaction fell more under the Seriously? category. Did KFC just simultaneously make fun of a core tenet of Christianity and embrace cultish cannibalism to sell fried chicken?

It is always a headscratcher when brands venture into the questionable, especially where religion is concerned. KFC’s intent, according to their U.K. and Ireland Chief Marketing Officer Monica Silic, was to “bring an entertaining antidote to this dull, chaotic world” and appeal to Gen Z with absurdist humor.

I’m all for weird, witty, and sometimes strange. This execution, however, was a bucket of blah.

Open Season on Christian Beliefs?

For Christians, the similarities to baptism—a public declaration of faith representing Jesus’ death, burial, and the Resurrection—are unmistakable and deeply offensive. The American Family Association didn’t mince words in their critique, calling it a “disgusting ad” and one that KFC wouldn’t dare do to other religions. They have called on consumers to sign a petition demanding the spot be pulled and that KFC refrain from producing ads that are offensive to Christians.

It's interesting to note that the backlash isn’t just about religious sensitivity. The ad’s dark, cultish vibe and the unsettling idea of a man being “cooked” have alienated a broad swath of viewers. Social media erupted with reactions ranging from confusion to disgust, with many questioning what KFC was thinking. The controversy reveals a deeper issue: In their pursuit of edgy marketing, KFC crossed the line. Nobody wants the Eww factor when they sit down to dinner.

When Brands Miss the Mark

The ad is a textbook case of a brand marginalizing an audience for the sake of exposure. I get it. The fast-food market is crowded; KFC wanted to stand out. What’s more polarizing than poking fun at Christians weeks ahead of Resurrection Sunday?

KFC wanted to make a splash, and they did. Unfortunately, oil burns. One side gets to make fun of Christians for not taking a joke. The other side gets to express offense at being the joke.

This isn’t the first time a brand has been accused of prioritizing profits over people. Think back to Pepsi’s “Live for Now” short film starring Kendall Jenner. Of course, in that case, when people cried foul, Pepsi pulled the spot.

Here’s the thing: Faith-driven consumers are good at putting their money where their mouths are. While KFC might be rolling its eyes at Christians now, I must wonder at what cost. KFC may have gained some short-term traction, but they’ve also lost loyal customers who now associate their chicken with cannibalistic undertones and religious disrespect.

For a company built on comfort food, that’s a steep price to pay.

Creativity Without Disrespect: A Better Way Forward

So, how can brands like KFC innovate without stepping on toes? Listen up, advertisers: You can be innovative and bold without offending large swaths of your audience. Here are a few tips for striking that balance:

1. Know Your Audience: Before launching a campaign, consider who you’re speaking to. A little research could have flagged the baptism parallels and cannibalism vibes as red flags for KFC. Who decided a baptism joke ahead of Easter was the right way to go.
   
   
2. Test the Waters: Run your idea by a varied group of people, not just the creative team. Fresh perspectives can catch what a single-minded vision might miss.
   
   
3. Humor, Not Harm: Absurdity can work—a generation later, people still love Cadbury’s classic egg-laying Easter Bunny ad. Aim for laughs that unite, not imagery that divides or disgusts.
   
   
4. Respect Over ROI: Revered acts like baptism deserve careful handling and respect. Think twice if your creative concept skirts close to something sacred.
   
   

KFC’s “All Hail Gravy” ad may have set out to inspire fandom, but it instead dished up a lesson in what not to do. Creativity shouldn’t come at the expense of others, especially when it risks turning a family-friendly brand into a pariah.

Let’s hope KFC learns to season their next idea with a pinch of tact.

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