KFC vs. AI
UM partnered with KFC to help solve a problem: people loved how KFC tasted, but questioned the quality. Meanwhile, young people trusted AI more than brands. For a brand struggling to prove quality, that created a real tension: machines were now trusted more than restaurants. So KFC asked a provocative question: if people trust AI to decide everything, why not let it create the "perfect" fried chicken? Then let Canadians judge. KFC didn't run ads. They used media to stage a live showdown and broadcast results at Union Station in Toronto, where hundreds of thousands of commuters decide what to eat daily. People tasted both recipes, the AI-created version and KFC's original, then voted in real time using physical ballots. Results updated instantly on a live scoreboard. Bold visuals and viewing platforms turned it into an event worth filming, with creators documenting everything and sparking conversations online. Perceived quality scores jumped 360% and brand love surged. The campaign didn't tell people its chicken was better, it was publicly witnessed: 88% of real people showed up and proved it.