- A customer who saw KFC’s television advert on 13 August 2026 was turned away when he tried to buy the special the following day.
- KFC said the promotion was available only on selected Fridays, but the advert prominently promised the deal “Only this Friday”.
- The Advertising Regulatory Board found the advert misleading during the week of 10 to 14 August and encouraged KFC to clarify restrictions in future campaigns.
The meal deal included eight pieces of chicken, two large chips and four mini loaves for R159, with a claimed saving of R75. Customers could also add a 1.5-litre Coke No Sugar for R5.
The commercial opened with the words “Kentucky Fridays”, followed by a voice-over introducing the offer and stating, “Only at KFC. Only this Friday.” The words “Selected Fridays” appeared in small print at the bottom right of the closing scene, alongside other terms and conditions.
KFC says promotion was available on selected dates
KFC argued that the advert made the restrictions clear through the “Selected Fridays” disclaimer and the statement that terms and conditions applied. It said the full conditions were also available online and that the short duration of the commercial limited how much information could be included.
The campaign ran across multiple DStv channels from 5 to 21 August 2026, with 212 advertising spots booked on KykNET, Moja Love, Moja 9.9, Mzansi Wethu, Mzansi Magic, Mzansi Bioskop, Stay On 2 and Switch’d On Channel 110.
The adverts were scheduled on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to build awareness ahead of promotional dates. However, the campaign included the week of 10 to 14 August, when the special was not available on Friday, 14 August.
Small print failed to clarify promotional dates
In its decision dated 28 September 2026, the ARB Directorate considered whether the advert created a misleading impression for the average, reasonable viewer.
The Directorate accepted that a 10-second commercial could not practically include every term and condition. However, it found that the prominent promise “Only this Friday” conflicted with the small-print qualification “Selected Fridays”.
The Directorate also rejected KFC’s claim that the disclaimer remained visible throughout the commercial. The version submitted for consideration showed the disclaimer for approximately one second during the closing scene.
The disclaimer appeared in small lettering at the bottom right, beneath a visually busy scene featuring the food and large promotional text. The Directorate found that viewers were unlikely to notice and read it within such a short time, particularly while also processing the meal price, contents and additional Coke offer.
It said a reasonable viewer who saw the advert between Saturday and Thursday could expect the special to be available on the first Friday that followed. The prominent voice-over reinforced that expectation, while the less visible disclaimer did not adequately explain the restrictions.
The Directorate questioned why KFC had used “Only this Friday” when the offer was available only on predetermined dates. It said the company could have stated those dates prominently or used clearer wording such as “available on selected Fridays”.
ARB upholds complaint under advertising code
The Directorate upheld the complaint under Clause 4.2.1 of Section II of the Code of Advertising Practice, which prohibits advertisements containing statements or presentations likely to mislead consumers through omission, ambiguity, inaccuracy or other means.
The finding applied only to the week of 10 to 14 August 2026. The Directorate noted that the special was available on the advertised Friday during the weeks of 3 to 7 August and 17 to 21 August, meaning the claim was accurate during those periods.
The ARB did not instruct KFC to withdraw the commercial because the promotion had ended and the Directorate assumed the advert was no longer in use. It encouraged the company to communicate promotional restrictions more clearly in future campaigns or schedule advertisements to coincide with the dates on which offers were available.
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