Why did KFC suddenly change its logo? This time even the classic chicken bucket is the star of the brand

Key takeaways

• KFC launched a new global brand identity in June 2026, created by design agency JKR.
• The new logo retains Colonel Sanders, the red-and-white color scheme, and the chicken bucket silhouette, with a cleaner, sharper overall look.
• The chicken bucket has evolved from a packaging container into a brand identity system that extends across the logo, packaging, advertising, digital interfaces, and restaurant spaces.

KFC recently unveiled a new global brand identity created by brand consultancy JKR. At first glance, it may look like a minor logo update, yet the overhaul is far more extensive than it seems. From the classic chicken bucket and typography to illustration styles and restaurant design, KFC has developed its most recognizable “bucket” into a complete brand universe, the Bucketverse, in an effort to redefine how people see this classic brand amid fierce competition in the fast-food market.

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KFC has changed its logo, though the logo isn’t really the focus this time

Images from / JKR

If you’ve seen KFC’s new logo recently, you might feel that not much has changed: the familiar Colonel Sanders is still there, and the classic red-and-white color scheme remains. Look closer, though, and you’ll find that the real focus of this update lies beyond the logo. KFC is revisiting the classic elements deeply rooted in consumers’ memories, hoping to rediscover the visual language that best represents the brand.

The answer it found isn’t fried chicken, or even Colonel Sanders, but the chicken bucket that almost everyone has seen!

From packaging container to brand centerpiece

Images from / JKR

The chicken bucket was once simply a container, yet in the new design, its red-and-white stripes have been enlarged to become a core element of the brand’s visual system. The bucket’s silhouette and structure can be seen throughout the logo, packaging, advertising, digital interfaces, and even future restaurant spaces. KFC has named this new brand system the Bucketverse, or “chicken bucket universe.” The bucket is no longer just packaging, but a world that can carry the brand’s story and identity.

The brand is shifting from selling products to creating experiences

Images from / JKR

Alongside the visual update, the brand is planning a new generation of restaurant spaces, immersive in-store experiences, and digital platforms, hoping to give consumers a more complete brand experience. After all, compared with visual identity, what people tend to remember is the feeling of taking part in it themselves. Future concept stores in Texas and Dubai will also become part of this brand experience.

Why update the brand now?

Images from / JKR

As competition in the global fast-food market grows fiercer, KFC wants to reinforce what makes it distinct. The company believes the focus of future competition will gradually move beyond price and the food itself to whether consumers are willing to form a deeper emotional connection with a brand. This update therefore goes beyond the logo, with changes to the brand’s language, restaurant design, product strategy, and overall experience, all intended to maintain a clear, consistent brand impression across more than 30,000 locations in over 150 countries.

Many brands choose to create new symbols when updating their image, yet KFC has taken the opposite approach. Rather than abandoning its existing assets, it has revisited the chicken bucket that has accompanied the brand for decades and redefined it as its most important identity language. Perhaps a successful brand update isn’t necessarily about creating something new, but rediscovering the value that has always been there and gone overlooked.

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