Original Fake Games

To resonate with a young generation that saw KFC as old-school, TBWA\RAAD had to reach them in ways traditional advertising wouldn’t. While the brand is no stranger to the world of gaming, the goal was to go deeper and truly be where they are.

You see, mobile gaming in MENA is huge. Seventy million mobile gamers make up 80% of the region’s $4 billion gaming industry. And they were all frustrated with the same thing: the rise of deceptive mobile ads that promise one thing but deliver another—making gamers download apps expecting a great experience, only to find themselves bombarded with in-app purchases and completely different content.

KFC is no stranger to disappointing fakes—and TBWA\RAAD knew the audience deserved the original. The team tackled this frustration head-on by recreating deceptive game ads and turning them into real, playable experiences. Ads with an identical look and feel were strategically placed in the same spaces where fake ads typically appear, but each one led to a genuine game.

This clever twist reinforced KFC’s message: the original is always better than the fake. The campaign helped redefine KFC as a modern, fun, and trustworthy brand that Gen Z could connect with. While fake ads take away, KFC focused on giving—reinforcing its brand values through action, not interruption.