Hasta La Creative!

When W+K Portland introduced George Hamilton as KFC’s new “Extra Crispy Colonel” back in June it was obvious that he wouldn’t be around for long. Now that the summer is winding down and football season has arrived, the brand has tapped yet another actor to portray the character, this time turning to comedian (and retired United States Marine Corps Reserve Lt. Colonel) Rob Riggle.

In W+K’s latest for the client, The Daily Show vet plays the part of the Colonel as he introduces Kentucky’s first professional football team, the Kentucky Buckets.

In the 30-second “Real Team,” Riggle introduces himself as “owner, head coach and marketing director” of the team, which he assures viewers is a “real team and not just a marketing gimmick to get buckets of delicious chicken in front of football fans” while strolling through the locker room. The team’s “starting quarterback” confirms the “real team” status, albeit quite unconvincingly.

Other spots see the new Colonel giving a “Speech” to hype the team up for a photo shoot, reviving a player with an “Injury” via the magic of fried chicken and introducing the team’s (kind of creepy) “Mascot.”

At this point both the self-referential style of the ads and the revolving door of actors playing Colonel Sanders shtick feel tired, though the fake football team idea at least injects something different into the campaign.

The question now is whether the brand will stick with Riggle throughout the football season, as it’s a matter of when, not if, there’s a new Colonel. Our guesses for the next person to tackle the role: Rob Schneider, the recently retired Jonathan Goldsmith, Jay Pharoah (he did just leave SNL), Melissa McCarthy and big advertising fan Donald Trump.

Any other ideas?