KFC Japan has a critical business day on December 24. For a Christmas Eve the sale rises between five and 10 times more than any other day.
“As Christmas approaches, KFC commercials start airing on TV – they look so delicious. We order early and then head to the store at the designated time to pick up our bucket of chicken,” says a young woman. , Naomi, to the chain CNN.
“Those who do not reserve a bucket have to spend hours in long lines,” said the young woman.
But order KFC for Christmas?
Christmas is considered a secular holiday in Japan – a nation where just 1% of the population identifies with Christianity – by the 1970s many had not established Christmas traditions with their families.
The company introduced a “Kentucky for Christmas” ad campaign in 1974 and buckets of chicken for the holiday soon followed.
According to some versions regarding this campaign, Takeshi Okawara is appointed, who directed the first KFC in the country, to later become executive president of KFC Japan, this would have falsely marketed fried chicken as a traditional food typical of American Christmas with in order to increase sales.
The version presented by KFC Japan indicates that Okawara went to a Christmas party dressed as Santa Claus; the children loved it and the manager saw a business opportunity there.
During the television program: “The Rising Sun Show” -produced by the Ministry of Public Affairs of the United States Army Garrison- he interviewed a member of KFC, he assured that the concept was imposed after one Christmas a customer foreigner asked KFC to deliver fried chicken dressed as Santa Claus or Father Christmas.
Outside of its origin, today, KFC during the month of December represents a cultural phenomenon in Japan.