LOUISVILLE Ky. KFC's marketing blitz for its new Kentucky Grilled Chicken got another burst of energy when Oprah Winfrey announced a giveaway offer on her talk show Tuesday.
Oprah put a link on her website that directs viewers to a KFC site where they can download a coupon for a free two-piece grilled chicken meal with two sides and a biscuit. The coupon will be available for download until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday and can be redeemed at participating stores through May 19, excluding Mother's Day.
The Oprah-promoted giveaway follows KFC's UNFryday promotion, in which the chain offered a free piece of the new grilled chicken to any customer who stopped in on April 27. KFC said it gave away more than 4 million pieces of grilled chicken in that promotion.
KFC's grilled chicken campaign has ruffled the feathers of some of its competitors, including Costa Mesa, Calif.-based El Pollo Loco. On the same day as KFC's UNFryday promotion, El Pollo Loco offered customers free samples of its grilled chicken and encouraged them to vote for their favorite by calling a special hotline.
Earlier this week, the 418-unit El Pollo Loco accused KFC of making prank calls to the phone number and challenged the chain to a taste test.
AKFC spokeswoman responded by saying the "truest taste challenge is the one that takes place every day in 5,200 KFC restaurants coast-to-coast. In that challenge, it is the paying customer who decides which product they prefer."
The 5,200-unit KFC is a division of Louisville-based Yum! Brands Inc.
Contact Molly Gise at [email protected].