As the biggest fast food chains in the world have seemingly lost contact with a generation that saw them order Happy Meals until adulthood (namely, the millennials), some of them are trying to get in touch once again with their children-friendly roots after having long-abandoned their "mascots" - and this also means bringing back Colonel Sanders to KFC!
A couple of weeks back, Food World News reported that McDonald's was bringing back one of the chain's most beloved classic characters, the Hamburglar, while also giving him a more "hipster" look to be more attractive to younger generations - and less than a month later, the Colonel Sanders from KFC is also making its return!
According to CNBC, the Colonel Sanders KFC return comes as the biggest chain of fried chicken in the world celebrates the 75th anniversary of its Original Recipe, and the iconic mascot derived from the chain's real-life founder is back with a vengeance, as Yum! Brands is creating a campaign that includes new packaging and menu items as well as TV ads and even a hot new version of their website.
Time Magazine reports that it's Darrell Hammond is playing the new Colonel Sanders KFC version, a former "Saturday Night Live" cast member and the show's current announced since the death of longtime announcer Don Pardo last year; Hammond is most famous for his impressions of Dick Cheney, Al Gore, Donald Trump and most notably Bill Clinton - so he's certainly got the accent for the Kentucky Fried Chicken founder down!
According to Ad Week, the move to have Hammond as the new Colonel Sanders KFC version is an interesting one, as it updates the character with a beloved comedy actor without completely sacrificing its original legacy.
The move to bring back Colonel Sanders to KFC (as well as the Hamburglar to the Golden Arches chain) is part of a larger attempt to bring back customers as fast food sales drop all over the United States, as consumers strive for healthier diets with more natural products and less saturated fats.