Tastes like chicken? KFC debuts edible nail polish
The secret recipe devised by Colonel Harland Sanders more than 70 years ago can now literally be at your fingers tips.
The fast-food chain behind the slogan "Finger Lickin Good" is out with limited editions of "Original Recipe" and "Hot & Spicy" edible nail polish in Hong Kong, where Kentucky Fried Chicken (YUM) was looking to increase the relevance of its brand.
"It's been forgotten, especially with the young crowd. But the kids here in Hong Kong love fashion and food, so we thought, wouldn't it be cool, and also to be on the tips of people's fingers," John Koay, creative director at marketing firm Ogilvy & Mather, told CBS MoneyWatch.
Ogilvy & Mather worked with McCormick & Co. (MKC), the spice company that provides KFC's mix of 11 herbs and spices, to create the nail polishes for KFC Hong Kong, which debuted the product at a tasting event Tuesday, and then followed up Thursday with a Facebook post where people can weigh in on their favorite flavor.
"We started off with about 300 to 500 bottles," said Koay, "The thing with the nail polish is, there are no artificial preservatives, so you can't keep it for months on end, a fortnight maybe."
Mass production of the edible polish, which hardens when dry, is expected to occur in the third in fourth quarters, said Koay, who left open the possibility of the product coming to the United States. "We got a call from Dallas asking about it, actually, so it could spread."
While unusual, the idea of a food-based beauty product has been tried before. A perfume called Eau de Pizza Hut was sold in limited quantities in the U.S. in 2013. Developed by Pizza Hut Canada, the concept began in jest on the company's Facebook page, with the company responding to consumer interest with the real thing.
And in 2008, Burger King introduced The Flame by BK, a men's body spray described as "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat."
KFC has been in Hong Kong since 1985, with more than 60 branches throughout the territory with a menu that in addition to the Colonel's "Original Recipe" offers Mushroom Rice and Egg Tarts.