In this modern day and age of brands adopting internet slang and memes to keep up with its consumers, it’s not uncommon to see them posting certain things or using particular language in an effort to keep up with the times and keep themselves relevant. And while the latest social media post from Kentucky Fried Chicken has done just that, the discourse that’s happened because of it seems to be highlighting a much bigger issue.
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For context, on Monday (Aug. 11), the popular fried chicken franchise posted a picture of a lone potato wedge, a once beloved menu item that disappeared in 2020. While the photo itself wasn’t anything alarming, the caption– “HERE, DAMN”– was the thing that sent folks in a tailspin. On the one hand, many were amused by it as the phrase is a popular one in the Black community and felt it was fitting for what the message they were trying to get across.
“This might be the best announcement for bringing back a product that I’ve ever seen,” wrote one user on X.
Added another user on Threads: “Yes this is real. I went to KFC’s Twitter account and got the screenshot. I’m glad the wedges are back. What a hilarious way to announce it.”
Others decided to join in on the fun.
“You the one that wanted to switch up so lower that tone!! ALSO, this is not enough so tighten up and bring back more stuff DAMN,” wrote another on the official KFC Instagram post.
“KFC ain’t been the same since y’all got rid of them, hell ever since the potato wedges been gone so have I,” TikTok user MaChaude Lowery said.
However, there were another handful of folks who felt as if the announcement was yet another example of corporate companies adopting “trends” with no acknowledgement to the community that made it a trend in the first place.
In particular, for PR pro Sakita Holley, she argued that the way a lot of brands communicate online is often incorrectly attributed to “Gen Z” slang when it ought to be attributed to Black culture.
She later added in her Instagram post: “That direct, authentic tone. The timing and delivery that made it resonate so widely. The nuance and IYKYK wink. This reflects the ongoing influence of Black American culture on mainstream communication. Yet when Black cultural expressions drive viral moments and shape how brands connect with audiences, they often get labeled as ‘internet trends’ or ‘gen z slang’ rather than being attributed to their cultural origins.”
Holley concluded, “This isn’t just about social media strategy though, it’s about recognizing whose voices and styles are shaping the conversations that brands use to reach millions.”
Holley’s sentiments echo that of other users online who often call out companies for taking African American Vernacular English (AAVE) and lingo derived form Black folks. While brands use this slang, said companies’ employees fail to reflect the true origin.
Take for instance Domino’s Pizza, which came under fire back in 2021 when they tweeted: “Domino’s is bae, pepperoni kisses on fleek #advertising #millennials #nailedit.” The phrase in particular, “on fleek,” of course comes from social media user Peaches Monroee who went viral for saying her eyebrows were “on fleek” years prior. The kicker though? The chief marketing director of the company was a white man, which only made the post even more puzzling.
Between Domino’s and other brands who choose to co-opt certain slang and verbiage in their advertising and marketing, it’d be advantageous for there to be a high level of representation in those departments so their posts don’t get misconstrued or taken the wrong way.
Thankfully, in a plot twist we didn’t see coming, as it turns out, one of the executives who worked with KFC on the marketing side to brainstorm the specific post is, in fact, a Black man. In a post to LinkedIn on Tuesday, Aaron Francois shouted out the work that he and his team did and KFC for trusting them to put it out.
“Social media doesn’t need to be scientific. It’s fun, random, and human,” he said in part.
He later added: “Cheers to high performing posts that only require a dope group of people and trusting clients.”
Hopefully other brands will begin to follow suit like KFC and make sure that Black folks are in the room where these decisions are happening.
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