Some brands don’t just advertise within culture; they evolve with it. For many people around the world, KFC is one of those brands. A constant in family moments, shared meals and everyday rituals. But cultural familiarity can also be a trap. Brands that feel woven into culture can easily stop listening to it.
In this episode of The Lead Creative, Suhayl Limbada, the Chief Marketing Officer of KFC Thailand, unpacks the challenge of mirroring culture without imposing on it.
A South African marketer leading KFC in Thailand, Suhayl, speaks candidly about unlearning assumptions, arriving with humility and earning trust by listening.
“The biggest barrier to really bold creativity is leaders who want to be right rather than relevant.” – Suhayl Limbada, CMO of KFC Thailand
That mindset has shaped how he collaborates with his team and agency partners to create work that feels unmistakably Thai while remaining true to KFC’s brand truth.
That approach is evident in Let There Be Cake, KFC Thailand’s multi-award-winning 2025 campaign celebrating 40 years in the market. The work won a Gold Lion in film at Cannes Lions, as well as wins at The One Show, the Loeries, and more. Crucially, it resonated at home before it travelled globally.
This conversation also links back to an earlier episode on The Lead Creative with Saf Sindhi, Founder and CCO of Bananas, offering a rare view of both sides of the same creative journey.
Marketing and creative insights to listen out for:
- Why distinctiveness without brand truth doesn’t last
- How to earn the right to take creative risks
- Building cultures where risk is expected, not tolerated
- Creating global work through local cultural immersion
- Measuring creative success beyond awards
Watch the full video conversation below:
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