KFC’s twist to its iconic mascot has Canadians nodding in approval. In time for the start of hockey season, Colonel Sanders now sports the famous hockey smile, paying homage to the sport’s grit and toughness.

The culture-first campaign is featured on a slew of billboard ads and is a testament to the fast food giant’s commitment to the game. The Colonel’s hockey smile is also featured across store signage, buckets, packaging, out-of-home (OOH) ads, social media handles, rink boards, jumbotron footage, and sponsor segments.

According to Creative Blog, the campaign was developed in collaboration with KFC’s creative agency, Courage.

A launch ad spot for the campaign shows a passionate hockey fan blacking out the Colonel’s two front teeth with hockey tape. The promo was shot by Canadian filmmaker Mark Bone, utilizing a mix of camera setups such as the iPhone and actual CCTV cameras, according to Ads of the World.

‘Simple, but brilliant’

“The brilliance of this idea is in its simplicity,” Joel Hotby, founder and co-chief creative officer at Courage. “We tapped into something instantly recognizable and undeniably hockey, while keeping it unapologetically KFC. It’s a small change to an iconic face, but it makes a massive cultural statement – the brand isn’t just sponsoring the game, it’s part of it.”

“The Colonel wearing a hockey smile isn’t just a clever creative idea—it’s a lasting symbol of how deeply we’re embracing the culture this season, and how closely KFC and hockey are aligned,” added Azim Ahktar, interim chief marketing officer at KFC Canada.

He said that hockey is one of Canada’s great unifiers, and this campaign lets KFC show up for fans in an unexpected but impactful way.