KFC: 11 Secrets

Eleven puzzles hidden inside a commercial.

An alternate-reality campaign that sent audiences from a Matty Matheson film into codes, hidden websites, real locations, and the mythology of KFC’s secret recipe.

Period: 2025
Status: Complete / Archived
Form: Alternate-reality campaign

KFC: 11 Secrets — case-study film

The project

KFC: 11 Secrets hid eleven puzzles across short films, captions, websites, and real locations. Solvers encountered the Sherlock Holmes dancing-men cipher in a roadside tree, a what3words location in closed captions, a program written entirely with the word “chicken,” and a Western Kentucky String Tie that had to be tied to reveal its message. The first eleven people to finish won eleven months of free KFC.

Production notes

Rob Auten half-jokingly said, “I think I’ve got a steganography project for you.” Mike “Auggie” Augustine, Tommy Honton, and I had to hide eleven puzzles inside a campaign film. I designed a little more than half and built all of them. One clue was written on a ribbon that only made sense after you tied a Western Kentucky String Tie. Another was a working program made entirely from the word “chicken.” Solvers who finished got eleven months of free KFC.

What others saw

“The strongest ad in QSR.”— System1, via the Shorty Awards

“My friends shared the video with me yesterday. There are some interesting puzzles.”— u/Johnny_M_13, ARG developer

Vintage car driving along a desert road bordered by Joshua trees. — KFC: 11 Secrets — Dancing Colonels screenshot

01 / 05

My role

I served as creative director and worked directly on the design and implementation of the eleven-puzzle system with puzzle designers Mike “Auggie” Augustine and Tommy Honton. Rob Auten served as executive creative director.

Selected credits

Alexander Porter: Creative Director
Mike “Auggie” Augustine: Puzzle Designer
Rob Auten: Executive Creative Director
Tommy Honton: Puzzle Designer

What others saw

Selected credits

Links & presentations