MAM
KFC drops its iconic slogan amid coronavirus
NEW DELHI- The Covid2019 situation has utterly changed the marketing dynamics in the last five months, whether it’s a B2B or B2C company, everyone is trying to adapt and reinvent the marketing strategies.
Brands in recent time have put efforts to talk about the coronavirus through their campaigns, and build connections with their TG’s.
The iconic fast-food giant, Kentucky Fried Chicken, aka KFC announced to suspend its iconic slogan, “It’s finger-lickin' good for a temporary period due to the prevailing coronavirus issue. The company feels that the slogan doesn’t fit with the consumers at this point of time due to the Covid2019 outbreak.
The brand has been using the popular catchphrase since 1956 across all countries, the tagline in a way has enormously helped the brand to resonate with the customers.
It’s quite interesting to see that a brand has given a pause to its slogan to aware people of the cause. However, the reason to take a break from it has come after the widespread backlash the brand faced in the US.
"We find ourselves in a unique situation – having an iconic slogan that doesn't quite fit in the current environment," KFC's global chief marketing officer, Catherine Tan-Gillespie, said in a statement.
However, nearly after five months now the restaurant chain has unveiled a 30-second ad campaign on its YouTube channel depicting KFC chicken buckets with the "Finger-Lickin'" words blurred out from its captions.
The ad then ends with the tagline "That thing we always say? Ignore it. For now,".
The campaign has been launched in markets like the UK, the Netherlands, South Africa, Canada, parts of Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.
Previously, in March 2020, the brand launched an advertisement in the UK with the tagline, which portrayed consumers licking their own fingers after eating chicken from KFC. However, the ad was criticised on social media platforms for being irresponsible and insensitive during such difficult times. The UK’s advertising standards authority received at least 150 complaints. However, the video was withdrawn by KFC later.
KFC was founded in the 1930s by Harland Saunders opened its first franchise in the 1950s and has used the finger lickin' good slogan since then. The fast-food brand dropped the slogan in the late 1990s but brought it back in 2008.
KFC has 22,500 outlets around the world – 900 in the UK and Ireland. It is owned by Yum! brands, which also owns Pizza Hut.
Brands
Sun Pharma to acquire Organon in $11.75 billion deal at $14 per share
Acquisition to create $12.4 billion pharma giant with global scale and biosimilars push
MUMBAI: Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Organon & Co. in an all-cash deal valued at $11.75 billion, marking one of the largest cross-border pharma acquisitions by an Indian firm.
Under the terms of the agreement, Organon shareholders will receive $14.00 per share in cash, with Sun Pharma set to acquire 100 per cent of the company’s outstanding shares. The transaction, approved by the boards of both companies, is expected to close in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder consent.
The deal significantly expands Sun Pharma’s global footprint and strengthens its position across women’s health, biosimilars, and branded generics. The combined entity is projected to generate revenues of around $12.4 billion, placing it among the top 25 pharmaceutical companies globally.
Organon, which was spun off from Merck in 2021, brings a portfolio of over 70 products spanning women’s health and general medicines, with operations across more than 140 countries. Its established presence in key markets such as the US, Europe, and China complements Sun Pharma’s existing strengths and growth ambitions.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited executive chairman Dilip Shanghvi said, “This transaction represents a significant opportunity for Sun Pharma to build on its vision of reaching people and touching lives. Organon’s portfolio, capabilities and global reach are highly complementary to our own.”
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited managing director Kirti Ganorkar added, “This transaction is a logical next step in strengthening Sun Pharma’s global business. Together, we will become a partner of choice for acquiring and launching new products.”
From Organon’s side, Organon & Co. executive chair Carrie Cox noted, “This all-cash transaction offers compelling and immediate value to Organon stockholders, while positioning the business for continued growth under Sun Pharma.”
Strategically, the acquisition gives Sun Pharma entry into the global biosimilars space as a top 10 player and strengthens its innovative medicines portfolio, which is expected to contribute around 27 per cent of combined revenues. The deal is also expected to nearly double EBITDA and cash flow, supporting long-term deleveraging and investment capacity.
Sun Pharma plans to fund the acquisition through a mix of internal accruals and committed financing from global banks, while maintaining focus on disciplined integration and operational continuity post-merger.
If completed as planned, the deal signals a clear shift in India’s pharmaceutical ambitions, from scale at home to leadership on the global stage, with Sun Pharma positioning itself as a more diversified and innovation-led healthcare powerhouse.
