KFC Explains Twitter Follows

Photo: Michael Tercha/Getty Images.

As one astute observer of KFC’s Twitter account noticed recently, the franchise follows some, err, interesting accounts.

“KFC follows 11 people,” @edgette22 tweeted out. “5 Spice Girls and 6 guys named Herb.”

If you still aren’t quite getting the joke then allow user @edgette22’s final revelation to illuminate your mind, “11 Herbs & Spices," he concluded. "I need time to process this."

The joke is a callout to KFC's famous chicken recipe which uses, yes you guessed it, 11 herbs and spices.

The tweet has since gone viral with nearly 700,000 likes and counting. A number of users applauded @edgette22’s ability to pick up on such details (because seriously...who’s even paying attention to this?), while others noted the quiet genius of the Colonel's social team.

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.@KFC follows 11 people.

Those 11 people? 5 Spice Girls and 6 guys named Herb.

11 Herbs & Spices. I need time to process this.
— Edge (@edgette22) October 19, 2017

“They must have a seasoned marketing person,” said @thebatman012 in response, marking his tweet with two wink emoji. We get it dude.

They must have a seasoned marketing person. ?? #seewhatIdidthere
— Adam Dzuricky (@thebatman012) October 20, 2017

It’s easy to understand why the tweet garnered so much attention. While a number of us may notice celebrity follows (and unfollows), rarely are a brand’s Twitter “follows” so...conceptually accurate? "The person that runs the KFC account needs a raise," said one user.

the person that runs the KFC account needs a raise. I don't care how much they make now. GIVE THEM A RAISE.
— Samantha O'Pumpkins (@sicklittlejag) October 19, 2017

Not to mention, for anyone lurking around KFC’s Twitter account we’d guess that most wouldn’t stick around long enough to draw such conclusions. Such levels of over-analyzation is typically reserved for exes, current partners, and people we actually know. (Unless you're Beyoncé.)

In age where a number of brands still struggle with social media, this viral tweet proves that KFC just may have mastered the subtle art of Twitter. Though, Wendy’s is also a frontrunner, after expressing what a number of us feel when we realize a supposed friend isn’t following back: “Just realized they weren't following back. Rude. Good joke though,” they tweeted. SO rude.