KFC tempts Italians to stray from traditional kebabs in sacrilegious new campaign

Created by DUDE Milan, the launch campaign for the new Krispy Kebab aims to tempt even the most loyal kebab fans to reconsider their allegiances

From burger vans to hot dog stands, street food loyalties run deep across the globe – and nowhere is this devotion as strong as in Italy, where many kebab fans have built years-long relationships with their go-to vendors. But what happens when temptation strikes from an unexpected source? KFC is set to test the limits of fidelity with the launch of the Krispy Kebab: a reinterpretation of one of the world’s most beloved street foods.

Available from 24 March 2026, the Krispy Kebab brings together the time-honoured format of a traditional kebab with KFC’s signature fried chicken. Aiming to tempt even the most loyal kebab devotees to reconsider their allegiance, the product launches in Italy with a surreally comic campaign: Kebab Betrayal.

Created by independent agency DUDE Milan, the campaign is set to roll out across social media, connected TV and OOH in Italy – a market where kebab culture is particularly strong among millennials. The creative focuses on a simple insight: for many kebab consumers, the small act of trying the new Krispy Kebab is likely to feel like a huge betrayal.

Kebab Betrayal taps into this insight with a hero film that humorously explores the emotional bond between a customer and his trusted ‘kebab guy’. The film opens inside a KFC restaurant where the protagonist is preparing to order a Krispy Kebab from the touch-screen. Suddenly, the familiar whine of an electric meat carving tool breaks the silence, as his regular kebab vendor appears out of nowhere with a look of quiet disappointment and judgment. What begins as a fleeting hallucination soon becomes an unavoidable tussle with his conscience, as the vendor reappears to silently confront the consumer’s sacrilegious choice.

With its self-aware tone and light-hearted humour, the campaign leans into this tension, acknowledging the cultural significance of kebab loyalty while positioning KFC’s new product as an irresistible alternative worth straying for – just this once.

Alongside the film, a nationwide OOH campaign reinforces the brand’s positioning in Italy with the line: “Proprio un altro kebab” (“A different kind of kebab”). Underscoring the fact that the Krispy Kebab is not intended to replace the traditional dish, but rather to stand alongside it as a distinctly KFC-inspired take, the campaign playfully invites purists to remain loyal to their usual street-food spots. 

Marzia Farè, CMO of KFC Italy said: “With Krispy Kebab, we wanted to take on one of the most iconic and widespread street foods, reinterpreting it through what makes KFC instantly recognizable: our crispy fried chicken. The idea was to take a format that feels very familiar to the audience and transform it into something new, while preserving the immediacy and conviviality that are typical of kebab. The result is a product that brings together different food cultures, while staying true to the brand’s DNA.”

Luca Riva, Creative Director, DUDE Milano adds: “Within our team, very much in line with the habits of many Italians, everyone has their own trusted kebab spot and wouldn’t dream of “betraying” it for another.”

David Labo continues: “The creative idea stems from this insight, while also recognizing that the Krispy Kebab is so different from the classic version that it gives everyone permission to try it at least once, without feeling too guilty.”

Credits

DUDE MILANO

Chief Creative Officer & Partner – Livio Basoli, Lorenzo Picchiotti

Creative Director – Luca Riva, Davide Labò

Associate Creative Director – Ilaria Biani, Cecilia Rocchetta

Art Director & Copywriter – Matilde Guabello e Lorenzo di Biccari

Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer – Lorenzo Foffani

Senior Strategic Planner – Grazia Zucchiatti

Business Director – Elena Panza

Account Director – Ilario Ruffini

Senior Account Manager – Antonia Martone

Senior Account Executive – Federica Menandro

Head of Video Production – Simone Raddi

Senior Producer – Irene Taverna

Producer – Luca Murru

Production Coordinator – Francesca Di Donna

Post Production Director – Seba Morando

Post Producer – Silvia Brigoli

Junior Post Producer – Greta Verderio

Editor & Motion Designer – Alessandro Menotti

Motion Designer – Gabriele Frigimelica

PRODUCTION

Director – Alice Fassi

DOP – Guido Mazzoni

1st AD – Miguel Lombardi

Casting Director – Alessia Tonellotto – StiCasting

Set Designer – Viola Aprile

Styling – Francesca Cavalcanti

Hair & Make Up – Paola Breda

Color grading – Anna Visigalli

Sound Design&Mix – Mattia Pirrone

Source: DUDE Milan

  David Labo, DUDE Milan, KFC, KFC Italy, Krispy Kebab, Luca RIva