Marrybrown's gangjeong chicken menu brings zombies to its yard

Malaysian fast-food brand Marrybrown has taken an unconventional bite into pop culture with its latest marketing campaign for the return of its gangjeong chicken menu.

Instead of following the well-worn K-Pop path, the brand and its agencies drew inspiration from Korea’s thriving zombie genre to create a campaign that blends horror, humour and hunger.

In teasing the return of the menu last month, Marrybrown posted an eerie video of a zombie hand rising up from the ground, holding a sign which read "I'm back". The caption read: "SSooommmeeethiiing... uuurrghhh... cooommmiiing baaackkk... to Maaaaarrryyybrooowwnnn...Cannnnn... youuuuuu... ggrruhhhsssss... whaaaat iiiittt... iiissss?". Based on our understanding of zombie language, the caption was trying to say that something was coming back to Marrybrown.

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Later down the line, the MB Admin posted an "official statement" warning customers of a phenomenon that would soon feel uncontrollable cravings, insatiable hunger for bold, addictive flavours, and an overwhelming urge to obtain its irresistibly crispy and intensely flavourful creation, that is the Marrybrown gangjeong chicken. These cryptic teasers garnered a fair bit of attention on Marrybrown's social media, with users complimenting the unique marketing idea.

The zombie madness did not stop there, as the fast-food chain continued to release zombie-themed videos, asking customers if they have felt any "weird" symptoms, such as feeling tired and having intense cravings like a zombie. The solution: its Marrybrown gangjeong chicken. 

Yesterday, Marrybrown released a video, showing a hoard of "zombies" walking through IOI City Mall, Putrajaya in an activation. The video depicted an outbreak which was sparked by a "k-raving" that can only be cured by the Marrybrown gangjeong chicken. Passerbys' reactions were also caught on camera, looking confused and concerned at the sight of the zombies. 

Lynn Low, chief marketing officer of Marrybrown, said in conversation with A+M, that the brand’s approach is to continuously do something different. Not just in the kitchen, but also in storytelling. “As an anak ('child') Malaysia brand, Marrybrown takes pride in doing something different. This time, we have gone a step further by not only reigniting taste buds but also sparking imaginations," she said.

"We playfully tapped into the Korean zombie phenomenon and gave it a humorous twist, where even corporate zombies come back to life with great food,” Low added.

While the brand has leaned into comedy this time around, as seen in its lighthearted Hari Raya campaign earlier this year, Low said the strategy is not fixed. “We believe that the best way to the audience’s heart is by striking a balance between being fun and heartwarming while still remaining relatable. At this point in time, we believed that our audience could do with some laughs," she explained. 

Behind the zombie concept was creative agency Dentsu Creative Malaysia. Dentsu Creative Malaysia is also working on an upcoming TV commercial to complement the campaign. The agency told A+M, its team wanted to go beyond the usual tropes of Korean-inspired advertising, moving away from the K-Drama and music video route which it had attempted before.

“With a busy modern life and the stress that comes with it, going about the day can be exhausting. It leaves us hungry, angry and feeling like zombies. Coupled with the craze for all things Korean among Malaysian youth, we thought it would be the perfect time to promote our sweet and spicy gangjeong chicken, inspired by Korean zombie movies," said Ahmad Nazril, executive creative director, Dentsu Creative Malaysia.

"The pressure of modern life is captured in the fiery pedas-pedas (spicy) expression. The satisfying taste of our Gangjeong Chicken wraps it all up in a sweet moment," he added.

Meanwhile, SLPR Worldwide, Marrybrown's social media and PR agency told A+M, the idea to anchor the campaign around zombies was sparked by the growing popularity of Korean zombie content such as Train to Busan and Kingdom, which have become synonymous with Korean entertainment in the public imagination.

“With the rise of Korean zombie movies and TV series, the public has started equating zombies with Korean culture as well, instead of just K-pop. We wanted to try something different,” said Leon Tang, senior partner and group COO Southeast Asia at SLPR Worldwide, which handled the zombie activation at IOI City Mall. 

“Zombies may often be a figment of fiction, but in many ways, they represent how we feel in everyday life, especially as corporate zombies, going through the motions until something genuinely exciting, like good food, brings us back to life,” added Tang.

While the cinematic undead may have been the centrepiece, the campaign remained grounded in its product. The returning Marrybrown gangjeong chicken is known for its sweet, spicy and tangy flavours. A new menu item, Korean dumplings filled with minced chicken and mushrooms, was also introduced. The gangjeong chicken menu was available at all Marrybrown stores from 25 April onwards. 

For Raya earlier this year, Marrybrown reintroduced its Riang Ramadan Raya menu, featuring its signature ayam penyet sambal sauce (smashed chicken in chilli), ayam penyet burger, strawberry custard pie, and the fried chicken MB meriah bucket.

As a part of the announcement, Dentsu Creative Malaysia released three bite-sized short episodes, to highlight Malaysians’ love for spicy foods. The films take a comedic and fast-paced approach, designed to drive engagement across social media.

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