For many in Saudi Arabia, Baloot is more than a card game. It is a social ritual, with its own language, rivalries and familiar characters that come together around the table. KFC Arabia, operated by Americana Restaurants in Saudi Arabia, is tapping into that culture with a new campaign developed with TBWA\RAAD and ZAT Baloot, the Baloot platform in the Kingdom.
Rather than building a campaign around the game, the two brand incorporated KFC into the experience itself, combining together food, play, music and entertainment all into one.
At the centre of the campaign is a dedicated KFC Baloot box designed for game nights, accompanied by a set of collectible cards based on the personalities and archetypes familiar to Baloot players.
These characters were then featured in a film created for social that recreates the humour and dynamics of a Baloot gathering, accompanied by an original Saudi track created specifically for the campaign providing the soundtrack.
A post shared by KFC Arabia (@kfcarabia)
“Baloot is part of the way people connect, compete and spend time together in Saudi Arabia,” said Ahmed Arafa, CMO, KFC Arabia. “We wanted to create something that felt true to that occasion, bringing food, play and entertainment together in a way that adds something new to game night.”
The campaign’s approach was to make KFC part of the game rather than position the brand around it. “We wanted to pull up a chair at the Baloot table and play by its rules,” said Derek Green, Chief Creative Officer at TBWA\RAAD. “The game already has its own world. Instead of interrupting it, we looked at everything that makes it distinctive and asked how KFC could add to it. Something fans could play with, collect and enjoy, not just watch.”
The physical experience was further supported by digital and social content, extending the campaign beyond the game-night box and and onto platforms where its audience spends time on social media platforms.
“The opportunity was to take a culturally relevant idea and turn it into an experience that works across every consumer touchpoint,” said Bassem Abdul Ghani, Marketing Senior Director, Americana Restaurants. “By extending the physical game-night experience into digital and social, we were able to create a connected brand experience that gives consumers more ways to engage with KFC.”
The campaign is currently being rolled out across social and digital platforms in Saudi Arabia.
Production: Rush Films Photography production : BKP Group