First the Hamburglar, now this: KFC is bringing back Colonel Sanders.
The fast food retailer premiered three new commercials on Tuesday, starring comedian and Saturday Night Live alum Darrell Hammond as Colonel Harland Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken. The Colonel's reemergence comes just in time for the 75th anniversary of buckets full of breaded, deep-fried chicken.
In a press release announcing the brand's anniversary, KFC celebrates the life of the original Colonel Sanders, the late chicken salesman whose career highlights also included stints as "an army-mule tender," a "ferryboat entrepreneur" and, super sketchily, an "amateur obstetrician."
KFC's new marketing strategy expands far beyond new commercials. Restaurants are rolling out new packaging featuring the Colonel's face, and the company's website got a facelift of its own.
The changes come after years of struggles for KFC and its parent company Yum! Brands.