In most parts of the world, Christmas dinner means turkey, ham, or roast beef. But in Japan, December 25th is all about Kentucky Fried Chicken — and the story of how it became a festive tradition is marketing genius.
How It All Started
Back in 1974, KFC Japan launched a campaign called “Kurisumasu ni wa Kentakkii” (“Kentucky for Christmas”). The idea came after the company noticed that foreign visitors in Japan — where Christmas isn’t a national holiday — were buying fried chicken as a substitute for the turkey they missed from home.
Sensing an opportunity, KFC created a special Christmas Party Barrel and marketed it as the perfect way to celebrate the Western holiday.
The Campaign That Stuck
The ads hit big. Families embraced it as something fun, foreign, and delicious. Over the years, it grew from a novelty to a national custom — today, millions of Japanese people pre-order their festive KFC weeks in advance to avoid long queues.
KFC even offers luxury Christmas sets with champagne, cake, and premium chicken for the big day.
A Holiday Marketing Masterclass
What started as a clever seasonal promotion is now a 50-year-old tradition. In Japan, Christmas means romance, lights, gift-giving… and a bucket of fried chicken.
💬 TRNDR Take: The Colonel didn’t just sell chicken — he sold a tradition. And it might be the most successful seasonal marketing campaign in history.
