KFC enters the ChatGPT ad space, takes advertising beyond search

Have you ever asked ChatGPT for snacking options when hungry? A question that once meant scrolling through search results or food apps can now be answered through a simple conversation on this AI platform. As people now turn to ChatGPT for everyday recommendations and decisions, brands are beginning to see these conversations as a new space to get discovered. This behaviour highlights a larger change in how consumers are discovering brands, products and experiences by having conversations with AI before making a decision.

In partnership with WPP Media, KFC India has become the first quick-service restaurant (QSR) brand in India to take its Rs 99 Chicken Krisper Meal to ChatGPT. People asking ChatGPT what they can eat for under Rs 100 will now find KFC among the answers, with the brand bringing its product into the world of conversational discovery. The move gives the brand an opportunity to reach consumers at a moment when they are actively looking for ideas and making choices, rather than just scrolling past an advertisement.

For years, searching a product was the starting point for consumer intent. With the rise of AI and LLMs, this behaviour is increasingly becoming conversational. In today’s digital era, consumers are turning to AI platforms not just to find information, but to ask questions, seek recommendations and make informed choices. In the emerging world of conversational discovery, this move by KFC India is more than just promoting a value meal as it talks about the behavioural shifts which is creating a new space for marketers.

The initiative also reflects the marketing approach by KFC India as it takes unconventional ways to engage with consumers and make the brand a part of a consumer's decision-making journey. For Suhayl Limbada, CMO, KFC India, the move is rooted in the brand’s long-standing culture of curiosity and experimentation. “The Colonel built KFC with a spirit of curiosity, venturing into new places, trying things, learning and refusing to stand still. We try to bring that same spirit to how we build the brand today. ChatGPT is still new territory for brands, and that’s exactly what makes it exciting. Being one of the first to venture into this space isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about getting there early enough to learn, experiment and help shape what comes next”, says Limbada.

KFC India’s recent work has looked for opportunities to enter consumer experiences rather than placing advertisements around them. Earlier, in its partnership with District around Spider-Man, KFC was integrated into the movie-ticket booking journey, with the brand appearing within the seat-selection experience.

A separate collaboration with Zepto took a different route. Instead of treating the two brands as competing messages, KFC responded to Zepto's grocery-focused billboard with a playful alternative to cooking at home, positioning its Rs 99 Chicken Krisper Value Meal as the option for people who simply did not want to cook. The campaign worked because the surrounding media context became part of the idea. The platforms were different but the intent was to make the brand relevant to that moment.

ChatGPT represents another version of the same approach. As consumer discovery moves from search and social feeds towards conversations with AI, brands are being pushed to rethink where and how they show up and build a connect with consumers. For marketers, this could eventually change the way they think about brand visibility as conversational discovery introduces possibility i.e. being present when someone is actively thinking through a decision. As discovery becomes increasingly conversational, it is a challenge for brands to earn a place in the conversation itself.