KFC is investing in long-form content with its own game show, the latest instalment of the 'Believe in Chicken' platform, as the brand pushes to secure "icon" status.

The move marks what the company describes as "stepping beyond traditional advertising". Instead of buying attention through conventional media, KFC wants to own it by producing entertainment formats built around its core product.

The game show sits within a broader transformation. The global KFC brand is undergoing "an evolution", according to the company, encompassing its menu, brand design and restaurants. The stated goal is to lead the busy chicken category with confidence.

Leadership change has accompanied the repositioning. Former CMO Christophe Poirier took on the top marketing role last year. He says the business runs on a common culture built around the phrase "smart, heart and courage", which helps teams align behind a shared vision.

Results so far appear to support the strategy. KFC parent company Yum! Brands highlighted the UK market as having driven particularly strong results, citing investments in initiatives like 'Believe in Chicken' as a key driver.

Not everyone at the top believes the turnaround is complete. New CMO John Beasley admits the brand has a big task ahead to regain the trust it lost over recent years.

Beasley is not the only senior hire. Beckie Crane-Stanion joins the retailer having previously served as CMO at Frasers Group, adding retail marketing experience to the leadership team as the brand rebuilds.

The push into owned entertainment comes as marketers across sectors weigh how far branded content can replace traditional media spend. KFC's bet is that long-form formats can do more than drive awareness — they can build the cultural weight a brand needs to earn icon status.

The context for that bet is a marketing function under pressure. A fifth of marketing leaders have already eliminated roles due to AI automation, according to Gartner, forcing brands to prove that creative investments deliver measurable returns.

Whether a game show can carry a fried chicken brand into icon territory remains untested. But with Yum! Brands pointing to the UK's strong performance, KFC now has commercial evidence to justify doubling down on content-led brand building.