AI communications are driving “up to five times incrementality”, says Yum! Brands, which owns Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell.
The owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell has asserted that AI is driving “not just marketing evolution” but “revolution” across its brands.
Fast food business Yum! Brands’ outgoing CEO David Gibbs outlined how artificial intelligence is already “supercharging” the company’s marketing across its brands.
Speaking during the company’s second quarter results today (5 August), Gibbs said that over 200 million AI-generated communications had been sent so far this year, claiming these are “delivering up to five times incrementality compared to traditional approaches”.
The owner of KFC, Pizza Hut and Taco Bell has asserted that AI is driving “not just marketing evolution” but “revolution” across its brands.
Fast food business Yum! Brands’ outgoing CEO David Gibbs outlined how artificial intelligence is already “supercharging” the company’s marketing across its brands.
Speaking during the company’s second quarter results today (5 August), Gibbs said that over 200 million AI-generated communications had been sent so far this year, claiming these are “delivering up to five times incrementality compared to traditional approaches”.
“This is not just marketing evolution. It’s a revolution, and we’re only getting started,” he asserted.
The business has established many different use cases for AI, a prominent one being delivering more personalised marketing. That could involve “one-to-one” messages in advertising, or offering more personalised menu recommendations within the brands’ apps.
Gibbs provided the example of Pizza Hut in the UK, which is utilising a proprietary platform designed to offer “more relevant, personalised item suggestions” and “enhance the consumer journey”.
The business expressed optimism for the potential AI poses for its business, and added that, with an increasingly digital mix, it is particularly well-positioned to tap into any efficiencies or advantages the technology could bring. In its most recent quarter, ended 30 June 2025, digital sales passed $9bn and made up 57% of the company’s mix.
The company also touted new digital capabilities, such as its Byte platform, which it launched in the quarter. The platform centralises the company’s supply chains across its brands and makes it easier for the business to innovate across its portfolio.
Globally, the consumer environment has not been straightforward, with Yum! Brands acknowledging it has faced a “tough” environment. Therefore, the business’s teams are staying “agile” with their playbooks, noted chief financial officer Chris Turner, who will take over as CEO of the company on 1 October.
Success of KFC UK
Against what it termed a “tough” backdrop, Yum! Brands grew worldwide sales by 4% year-over-year in the quarter, with KFC in its international markets being highlighted as a strong contributor to growth.
KFC in the UK grew its sales 5% year-over-year. CEO Gibbs said the brand has successfully used product launches, including its Dirty Louisiana burger, to drive success. He also cited “strategic cultural partnerships”, including with Limitless Live, the UK’s largest free music festival, as an accelerant to its success.
Speaking to Marketing Week earlier this year, KFC UK CMO Monica Silic said the fast-food brand had to be “relevant in culture” in the UK to stand out in a crowded chicken market.
As well as partnerships, bold advertising has also been a key part of driving that relevance. Silic said her goal was to create “work that can’t be ignored”, notably through the brand’s ‘Believe in Chicken’ platform, the second iteration of which launched earlier this year.
