Bribe Bucket

In the MENA region, some younger audiences perceive KFC as an old-school brand. Given their current and future consumer potential, TBWA\RAAD set out to change that. But with Gen Z proving difficult to reach through conventional methods, an opportunity emerged in gaming—which accounts for 25% of their leisure time.

However, traditional in-game advertising often fails to engage this audience and can even backfire. Mainstream brands entering the space are frequently viewed as unwelcome intruders.

KFC needed a strategy that would genuinely enhance Gen Z’s gaming experience rather than interrupt it—one that could successfully capture their interest and build lasting brand loyalty.

With Bribe Bucket, KFC tapped into one of the most talked-about new features in gaming: Call of Duty’s Proximity Chat—where players often find themselves in precarious situations, forced to negotiate for survival after being downed or taken hostage. Most players resort to begging, singing, or joking—usually without success.

KFC offered a surprising lifeline: turning fried chicken into in-game currency that could save a player’s life. By blending a real-world reward with an in-game challenge, Bribe Bucket blurred the lines between reality and the virtual world. Instead of feeling like an intrusive brand, KFC entered the gaming space as a savior, not an advertiser—offering players a second chance, not an interruption.