Advertising Age reports that Yum Brands-owned KFC plans an educational campaign that will endeavor to reassure customers that it is safe to eat chicken, despite rising fears about a bird flu pandemic.
While bird flu has not been reported to have reached the US, and is not believed to be transmitted from human to human, increased media coverage of the story has created concerns.
“We, like others, are watching this closely and have been developing contingency plans which we hope we won’t have to use,” the company said in a statement. “The World Health Organization has been clear that you can’t get the flu from cooked chicken, which is perfectly safe to eat.”
In fact, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) spokesman said a couple of weeks ago that it is theoretically possible to catch bird flu through the consumption of undercooked, diseased chicken.
While bird flu has not been reported to have reached the US, and is not believed to be transmitted from human to human, increased media coverage of the story has created concerns.
“We, like others, are watching this closely and have been developing contingency plans which we hope we won’t have to use,” the company said in a statement. “The World Health Organization has been clear that you can’t get the flu from cooked chicken, which is perfectly safe to eat.”
In fact, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) spokesman said a couple of weeks ago that it is theoretically possible to catch bird flu through the consumption of undercooked, diseased chicken.
- KC's View:
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The mistake would to be to wait until there is a problem to react.
These kinds of efforts should come in advance of any problem.
Rationales such as “maybe we won’t have to use this information” are a mistake. They are reactive, not proactive.
If your company name has the word “chicken” in it, there’s no sense waiting.
