Some of our top twenty slogans weren’t written by professionals. In the 1950s, a restaurant manager came up with the slogan “It’s Finger-Lickin’ Good” for KFC. Harland Sanders was the founder of KFC. He ran a food service station in Corbin in Kentucky during the 1930s. Ruby Laffoon, the governor of Kentucky in 1935, recognized his culinary contribution by making him a Kentucky Colonel. This is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a person.
Sanders expanded his business to the opposite side of the street to accommodate the increasing number of people who came to eat. Sanders had already perfected his secret blend of spices and herbs by the early 1950s. Dave Harman from Phoenix was the franchisee who came up with the famous phrase.
Harman, who was between movies at the time, voiced TV ads for his restaurant in the afternoon. However, after a stroke he could not speak clearly, so Ken Harbough stepped up to take over the ads. Harman, who still wanted to be in the ads, would accompany Harbough and eat a chicken plate in the background of the filming. After the broadcast of one of these ads, a woman complained angrily to the TV station that “Mr Harman was licking his finger!” According to the story, Harbough responded spontaneously, “Well it’s finger-lickin’ good”.
The slogan was added to the branding of the franchise almost immediately. It appeared alongside an illustrated portrait of Colonel Sanders, showing his head and shoulders. Since then, both the phrase as well as Sanders’ image has been synonymous with Sanders. Almost.
KFC announced in February 2011 that it would replace ‘It’s finger lickin’ good’ with ‘So good’. KFC spokesperson: “‘So Good’ is more than just a tagline. It’s a way to improve our business. We’re focusing not only on our food but also our engagement with our employees and our community activities.” It’s a move that is understandable, but it’s also a shame for KFC to give up something so unique in favor of something bland.
