Takeaway Truth is a regular Lifehacker feature where we compare marketing images against what you actually get served. Today: KFC’s $2 Taster Box!
The original KFC Grilled Taster Box was the first product we ever reviewed for Takeaway Truth. It was found severely lacking, with a “truth verdict” of just 3/10. The advert was such a Photoshop travesty that we’re not entirely sure that the food in the image ever existed.
Recently, the company launched a fresh marketing campaign for the Taster Box to coincide with its revised pricing. You still get the same small fries, gravy and piece of grilled chicken, but now the whole thing costs only $2.
This is ridiculously good value for money. However, as we noted in our original review, just because it’s cheap doesn’t give KFC the right to create misleading images in its advertisements. We figured it was time to revisit the Taster Box to see if KFC had learned the error of its ways.
Below is a side-by-side comparison of how the Taster Box looks in its new advert, and what we actually got served at KFC’s flagship Sydney store:
This is a significant improvement compared to the last version. However, there are still some discrepancies. First and foremost, the chicken looks about 50 per cent larger in the advertisement. Granted, this could be a trick of perspective, but the end result is the same: the chicken looks bigger than it should.
At first glance, the serving of chips appears suspiciously generous too. On closer inspection though, the number of visible chips is pretty similar — the advertisement has just arranged them to maximise attention.
All in all, this isn’t a bad effort at all. By laying off the Photoshop and other post-production tricks, KFC has presented its customers with a pretty accurate depiction of what they get served. More like this, please.
Comments
One response to “Takeaway Truth: KFC $2 Taster Box”
Yep, that’s a pretty good representation. Bought my son one the other day, looks *exactly* like the image. So 8/10 is pretty fair. More companies should be held to truth in advertising and should not be allowed to ‘dress up’ their food images.
Considering the picture on their website for the current taster box is EXACTLY the same as the old one but for the box art, I wouldn’t be too quick to spruik that KFC has learned from the error of its ways.
http://kfc.com.au/menu/snacks/2-taster-box/
Check out KFC Antigua on KFC’s global link down the bottom of their homepage. It takes you to a sex related search engine / blog. Nice one KFC!
http://www.kfcantigua.com/
Not sure if it’s been covered in an article before as I am only a new member, but I have found that especially with some of the “boxes” KFC do that say you get a “regular” chips, they come in a little bag which is WAY smaller than the box a regular chips comes in. I called them out on it once and made them give me a proper regular chips.
Of course, another way around the problem is to upgrade to a large chips and drink and you never notice.
I’d agree with your findings a few months ago, as I was getting similar servings in the Taster Boxes I was getting. However the one I got last Saturday night was at least 50% smaller again. And burnt. Returned, and replaced with an unburnt piece of chicken that was the same size.
Definitely disappointing.