It was a Soweto affair mixing finger lickin’ ingredients with Colonel Saunders’ Southern hospitality oozing pomp at, “icorner lomhlaba” (local slang for world-class corner – alluding to Thesis’ business address.)
Clinging on aptly to the coat-tail of KFC’s December initiative punted, #LetsGo5050, a disc jock belted out Mandoza’s Lets Go 50/50 whilst a pantsula jive troupe performed for guests such as the newly-crowned Miss Soweto, Thobile Steyn and actress Nambitha Mpumlwana.
Lebo Mothibe, (a.k.a. Shugasmakx) a musician formerly with Swatta Kamp, compered the midweek bash, impressing attendees with his knowledge by pointing out that the very first franchisee of a Soweto KFC was none other than Orlando Pirates FC icon, Jomo Sono – who owned a restaurant in Dube back in the early 1980s.
Verily a sharing initiative, KFC have joined up with Thesis – albeit for December only – in the THESIS x KFC limited streetwear collection collaboration which would see 50% of profits from selected Thesis merchandise disbursed to the KFC Add Hope programme.
Additionally, KFC’s sharing mood extends to South Africans who walk into its more than 900 outlets countrywide – according to its Marketing Director, Suhayl “Slim” Limbada – between the 1st and 20th of December, courtesy of its 50/50 daily deals where goodies ranging from Crunch Burgers to Chocolate Sundaes would be on offer for halve the price (all day for online orders and limited to the first 100 walk-in and drive-thru customers per store).
During the celebration in Mofolo North, Shugasmakx also introduced the talented figure behind the collector’s item, Yay Abe x KFC limited edition birthday buckets.
Cape Town artist, Russell Abrahams, flashing a naughty smile, described his designing of the trio of aesthetically appealing colourful buckets, as a result of “blood, sweat and tears!”
The KFC Heritage Bucket, meant to contain the 9-pieces, is dedicated to all peeps of KFC; The KFC Goodness Bucket, for the 15-pieces, highlights the goodness and greatness of the brand’s 50 year memories, with the KFC Sharing Bucket, for the 21-pieces, celebrating family and friends coming together around a bucket to celebrate great food and good company – in the generous spirit of founder, Colonel Saunders beckoning, “there is room for everyone at the table.”
And since the collectable buckets are only available this December, customers are advised to, collect, eat, share and enjoy!
Also invited to address the sizeable number of guests and media practitioners at the event’s venue were the duo of hosts and co-founders of the street cred brand introducing itself as being “Made for the People. Inspired by the Streets” Wandile Zondo and Galebowe Mahlatsi – they of the motto, “Define Yourself” – have trodden some educative path from establishing a second-hand clothing brand back in 2006, to collaborating with a global food brand such as Kentucky Fried Chicken.
With commercial images of models (one of them being Zondo) adorned in Thesis Lifestyle merchandise from head to toe flashing on a flat screen presentation behind them, the duo whose mission is to inspire the next generation through creativity and culture, appeared genuinely comfortable in their space amongst the visitors and Limbada – giving the impression that, although not operators on the grand scale of their present partner, they too aspire to conquering the retail sphere street by street.
It was razzmatazz amidst the current crisis and with Thobile Steyn – a University of Johannesburg graduate crowned just a mere three days ago as the new Miss Soweto (on her 21st birthday) – and Miss Soweto 2019, Musawenkosi Gumede, in attendance, the stakeholders to a hopeful conclusion to what a KFC marketing drive describes as a ‘crazy year deserves a crazy celebration’, were all too willing to oblige the invited media corps for publicity photo sessions in front of an impressive looking mural on one of the walls of “icorner lomhlaba”, marking KFC’s celebration of 50 years of “it’s finger lickin good” in South Africa.
The 50th birthday celebrations also entail the giving away of limited edition Thesis x KFC merchandise, also vouchers, including lucky fans standing to scoop prizes!
And with only 100 of each Thesis x KFC item (t-shirts, vests, bucket hats, etc.) for sale, customers are encouraged to also order “your December swag” at www.thesislifestyle.co.za/collections/ThesisxKFC
Image Jacob MAWELA (From left- Wandile Zondo & Galebowe Mahlatsi (Thesis Lifestyle), Miss Soweto 2020 Thobile Steyn, creative designer Russell Abrahams, and KFC SA Marketing Director Suhayl Limbada on the celebration of KFC’s 50th celebration, held at Thesis Lifestyle- Mofolo, Soweto).
