KFC Rebuilds Its Global Brand System Around the Iconic Bucket in Major JKR Redesign

KFC has undergone a major global brand evolution developed with JKR, where the iconic bucket is no longer just packaging, but the central organising idea behind the entire system.

Instead of treating it as a container, the bucket becomes a framing device and storytelling tool that defines how the brand expresses itself across every touchpoint.

A Full 360 Brand Evolution

This is not a simple logo refresh. The work extends across packaging, restaurant environments, digital platforms, brand assets, and tone of voice.

JKR and KFC’s in-house teams have rebuilt the identity system to create a unified world rather than a standalone visual update.

The Logo Becomes More Dimensional

The Colonel is repositioned within the logo system, gaining more presence, clarity, and warmth while maintaining his recognisable character.

The result is a more expressive identity that feels both familiar and evolved.

From Stripes to Storytelling Asset

The iconic KFC stripes, previously used as a background texture, are reimagined as an active design and type-led system element.

This shift transforms a static brand pattern into a flexible storytelling device.

Finger Lickin’ Good Becomes a Brand Behaviour

Rather than functioning only as a tagline, “Finger Lickin’ Good” is repositioned as a global standard of behaviour.

It becomes a signal of quality and brand philosophy rather than a campaign sign-off.

Custom Typography and Expanded Visual Language

Two bespoke typefaces, Kentucky Fried Serif and Kentucky Fried Sans, were developed in collaboration with StudioDRAMA, drawing inspiration from the brand’s original lettermark.

A refreshed colour system retains KFC’s signature red, white, and black while introducing a secondary “Herbs and Spices” palette inspired by the original recipe.

A System Built for Flexibility and Culture

The brand system also includes a heritage stamp language, motion design principles, illustration frameworks, and photography direction described as being shot “through a bucket lens.”

Artists and collaborators from Buenos Aires, Amsterdam, Xiamen, Lima, and Mumbai contributed to the expanded visual world.

What Brands Can Learn From This Campaign

KFC’s redesign shows how brands can scale identity systems by building everything around a single, powerful asset.

By turning the bucket into the foundation of the entire system, KFC demonstrates how consistency, storytelling, and flexibility can coexist within a modern global brand architecture.