Date: 2016
Client: KFC
Agency: Joint (Wieden+Kennedy)
Role: Post-Producti0n Producer
Project: The Kentucky Buckets — A Campaign Launch for KFC
Situation: Wieden+Kennedy Portland, one of the world's most celebrated advertising agencies, developed a high-profile, comedic campaign for its client, Kentucky Fried Chicken. The concept featured actor Rob Riggle as Colonel Sanders, who humorously introduces America's newest (and entirely fictional) professional football team: The Kentucky Buckets. A campaign of this nature, reliant on precise comedic timing and a polished broadcast aesthetic, required a seamless and highly complex post-production workflow to successfully land the joke.
Task: As the Post Producer at Joint, the in-house post studio for Wieden+Kennedy, I was responsible for managing the entire post-production pipeline for this campaign. My mission was to guide the project from raw footage to final, broadcast-ready delivery, ensuring the creative team's ambitious and hilarious vision was executed flawlessly, on schedule, and on budget.
Action: I served as the central hub for the entire post-production process, coordinating the creative needs of the agency with the technical execution of the artists.
End-to-End Workflow Management: I built and managed the complete post-production schedule, coordinating the schedules and deliverables of our editors, visual effects (VFX) artists, sound designers, and colorists to ensure a smooth and efficient process.
Creative & Agency Liaison: I was the primary point of contact between the Wieden+Kennedy creative team and the artists at Joint. My role was to meticulously manage feedback, translate creative notes into actionable tasks, and ensure the comedic timing and tone were perfected at every stage.
VFX & Graphics Supervision: A critical part of selling the joke was making the "Kentucky Buckets" feel like a real team. I oversaw the VFX pipeline, which included creating and integrating team logos, broadcast graphics, and other visual elements that gave the campaign its authentic football league feel.
Resource & Timeline Oversight: I managed the post-production budget and ensured all internal and client deadlines were met for a timely launch, which was strategically aligned with the football season to maximize cultural relevance and impact.
Result: The campaign was delivered successfully, perfectly realizing Wieden+Kennedy's comedic vision. My management of the complex post-production workflow was instrumental in bringing the "Kentucky Buckets" to life. The spots were a massive hit, lauded for their cleverness and humor, and became a memorable part of KFC's advertising legacy. The campaign effectively captured the attention of football fans, driving conversation and sales for KFC during a key marketing season.
