KFC has had some really great stunt marketing over the years. Who could forget the chicken corsage the chain released for prom in 2014?
The latest in KFC's wacky yet completely genius product launches is the Extra Crispy Sunscreen, a working sun-protection lotion that's supposed to smell like KFC's Extra Crispy Chicken.
"I've scoured the globe for the most scrumptious, seductive scents, patronized every perfumery, colognery, and smell factory this side and that side of the Mississippi, all in order to capture the most succulent, delectable eau de Colonel for our new sunscreen," says the "Colonel" in a letter. "Lo and behold, I needn't have looked no further than the sweet fragrance of our restaurant's kitchens."
KFC released the SPF 30 sunscreen online Monday at ExtraCrispySunscreen.com and a day later, all the product is gone. No surprise given that the sunscreen was free, and people love free things. And chicken-scented things.
KFC sent Cosmopolitan.com a bottle of the sunscreen yesterday, and I put it on my cheek and arm to test it out. The lotion goes on really nicely — it's not greasy, blends into the skin easily, and feels light and cooling. In the bottle, the sunscreen smelled vaguely like a bottle of seasoning, but once I put it on, the fragrance transformed into something that actually smelled more like food.
I asked my colleagues what they thought, and here's what they told me:
"It smells just like KFC chicken. I immediately became hungry smelling you." —Alex
"Ugh! It's freaking gross. It's like it crawled up my nose and died there. You walked away and I can still smell it. What an abomination!" —Charles
"It smells like vegan chicken." —Amy
"It smells like perfume chicken." —Brooke
I could sense that I was leaving a scent trail behind me wherever I walked ("I swear I keep getting whiffs of KFC." —Danielle), and while not outright offensive to anyone other than Charles, I wasn't feeling good about feeling like a chicken wing smothered in gravy. I washed my warm twice and wiped my cheek with a makeup wipe, and I still smell pretty strongly of Extra Crispy Sunscreen. I may not wear it anymore, but I'll be holding onto the bottle as a souvenir.
Follow Delish on Instagram.
