Wet wipes. Moist towelettes. Wet naps. Whatever you call them, those pre-packaged napkins soaking in solution come in handy all the time. From gas stations to fast food establishments, the real pocket squares are there to tidy up messes. And KFC is trying to say they are unnecessary for their sauceless Hot Wings. With a contest. Yes, a wet wipe contest.
For some odd reason, there doesn’t appear to be many wet wipe-themed contests, but KFC looks to change that starting today. To promote the sauceless Hot Wings, KFC is running a contest asking contestants for “ideas for repurposing KFC’s ‘leftover’ wet wipes.” Finalists will be chosen to produce videos that will be available for viewing starting January 20 on KFC’s YouTube channel.
Not only will five finalists each get $500, but more importantly, they will each receive one thousand wet wipes. (Brand to be determined.)
Official press release after the jump.
KFC Whets Nation’s Appetite for Innovation with Tasty Contest Inspired by Its Sauceless Hot Wings
KFC Challenges Americans to Cook Up Fresh Ideas for “Unneeded” Wet Wipes;
Most Inventive Idea to Win $10,000 Grant for a Savory Start in 2011
LOUISVILLE, Ky.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The history of hot wings is saucy, stain-filled and sticky, but KFC is rewriting history by showing you can have the taste without the mess. To showcase its sauceless, no-mess Hot Wings, the brand is kicking off 2011 with a hunt for ground-breaking thinkers to share creative, inspiring and/or charitable ideas for repurposing KFC’s ‘leftover’ wet wipes. Five finalists will be selected to produce videos that illustrate their vision, and America will have the final vote, awarding the person with the tastiest thinking a $10,000 grant for a clean start in the New Year.
Beginning today, fans should send their out-of-the-bucket ideas to KFCSaucelessWings@gmail.com. From the written entries received, five finalists will be selected to receive $500, a supply of 1,000 wet wipes and a hand-held video camera to film their vision for the “unneeded” wet wipes. Finalist videos will be uploaded to KFC’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/KFCColonelSanders) on January 20, 2011, and America will have the chance to weigh in on their choice for the top innovator. The video that best captures the great taste and good, clean fun embodied in KFC’s sauceless wings will earn the $10,000 prize.
“KFC has cleaned up the act of eating wings because our Hot Wings taste so good, they don’t need sauce. Now we’re looking for some forward thinking on what to do with the ‘surplus’ wet wipes,” said John Cywinski, Chief Marketing and Food Innovation Officer for KFC. “One Hot Wing fan/filmmaker is going to enjoy a tasty start to the new year with a $10,000 prize as a reward for a truly groundbreaking vision for this everyday item the wet wipe.”
To read the official rules for the contest, please visit www.kfc.com.
Hot Wings that Start Crunchy and Finish Spicy
KFC’s sauceless Hot Wings are one of a kind — starting crunchy and finishing spicy for a truly unique wing experience. For a limited time, you can enjoy 20 Hot Wings for $10 plus tax. (Pricing and participation may vary by location.)
Bowl Games Mean it’s Wing Season!
The National Chicken Council (NCC) estimates that Americans will eat more than 13.5 billion chicken wings (more than 3 billion pounds) in 2011, with demand spiking in January because of football bowl games and playoffs. The weekend of pro football’s championship game is also the biggest time of year for wings. The NCC estimates that more than 1.25 billion wing portions will be consumed during that one weekend — more than 100 million pounds of wings.
About KFC
KFC Corporation, based in Louisville, Ky., is the world’s most popular chicken restaurant chain specializing in Original Recipe, Extra Crispy, Kentucky Grilled Chicken and Crispy Strips with home-style sides, Honey BBQ Wings, and freshly made chicken sandwiches including the Double Down and the Doublicious. There are more than 15,000 KFC outlets in 109 countries and territories around the world serving some 12 million customers each day. KFC Corporation is a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., Louisville, Ky. (NYSE: YUM.) For more information, visit www.kfc.com.
About Colonel Sanders
The Kentucky Fried Chicken concept was pioneered by Colonel Harland Sanders (1890-1980), whose cooking career began at age six. Sanders held jobs ranging from streetcar conductor to insurance salesman, but his cooking skills were a constant throughout his life. In 1930, Sanders operated a service station in Corbin, Ky., and filled the stomachs of hungry travelers who stopped in to fill up their gas tanks. Sanders soon moved his restaurant across the street when he could no longer keep up with the demand from travelers who he had been feeding at his kitchen table. In 1935, the Kentucky Governor made Sanders an honorary Kentucky Colonel for his contributions to the state’s cuisine. Over the next decade, the Colonel perfected his secret blend of 11 herbs and spices and the basic cooking technique still used at KFC today. When Sanders was 65, a new interstate highway forced the closure of his restaurant and he was left with only his recipe for fried chicken and a $105 Social Security check. The Colonel hit the road and struck handshake deals with restaurant owners who agreed to sell his fried chicken. What began as a dream fueled by the Original Recipe, a no-quit attitude and a Social Security check grew into the world’s largest chicken restaurant chain. Until he passed away in 1980 at the age of 90, the Colonel still traveled 250,000 miles a year visiting KFC restaurants around the world.