KFC x Cheetos: Conversation with Ivan Jovanovic, Head of Sound POP France
KFC France’s latest collaboration with Cheetos marks the meeting of two iconic brands known for their bold personalities and strong cultural appeal. With the catchy voice of Harry Belafonte and the mouth-watering taste of KFC and Cheetos, this campaign has it all.
And at the heart of this project was the sound – a carefully crafted audio identity designed to capture KFC’s modern, youth-driven energy while also channeling Cheetos’ playful mischievousness. The name behind it? Ivan Jovanovic, Head of Sound at POP France.
We sat down with Ivan to get the behind-the-scenes scoop on the unique work created to translate this partnership – a campaign designed around vibrant storytelling that binds two creative universes. Here, he shares how his creative vision and musical choices brought the advertisement to life – along with his thoughts on the evolving role of sound production in contemporary advertising. Scroll to discover.
[Original version in French]
Tell us about the campaign. What was the creative brief and the vision behind the project, and how did sound bring it to life? Were there any unique techniques or technologies used in this project?
KFC France launched its collaboration with Cheetos, which became available at KFC stores starting January 21st with a range of extra cheddar Cheetos items! The idea behind this campaign was to unveil this partnership and highlight the product through a dialogue between the creative worlds of KFC and Cheetos.
This campaign brought together two beloved brands: Cheetos and KFC. How do you translate these bold identities into sound, and ensure the audio aligns with both brand values?
It was a very interesting challenge! We have been working on the sound and music universe of KFC France since 2021 with the creative directors of Havas Paris, Jordan Molina and Ludovic Miège. This gave rise to precise brand codes: a modern musical universe that appeals to younger generations, a sound signature based on crispiness, and an iconic voice-over.
Over the past two years, KFC has opened up to a more pop and mainstream audience. Last year, we synchronized Vanessa Carlton for the Nuggets campaign, ODB for the Hot Dog campaign, and Panjabi MC for the Crispy Naan campaign. We look for cultural references that resonate directly with the audience and help immediately illustrate the film’s message.
What was the inspiration behind using Harry Belafonte’s iconic “Jump In The Line” for this campaign?
The idea was to bring Chester’s playful mischievousness to life and highlight the product’s appeal in a duel between the two customers and Chester – without fully revealing Chester. The entire message had to be conveyed through music, as there was no dialogue!
We did a lot of research to create a dance scene that was celebratory, communicative, and spellbinding – much like Chester’s subtle and supernatural appearance, which intrudes on the reality of these two friends sitting on the street, ready to enjoy their burgers. The result became obvious to the agency, the clients, and us, because of the emotion it immediately evoked.
Do you prefer working with a well-known song, like this, or with an up-and-coming artist, like Bonti for the Deezer “Dance Fight” campaign? How does it change your process?
It all depends on the creative objective and the brand universe. Is the music’s role narrative and functioning as a support in the scene? This was the case with the superb synchronization by Adam Ghoubali (Creative Music Director at BETC) for Deezer’s “Dance Fight” ad – which also played on the brand’s objective of highlighting musical creation. Or, is music’s role to summon the existing collective imagination – as is the case with the KFC x Cheetos campaign? In either case, the work is exciting!
What does your sound production process or workflow typically look like from concept to final mix?
It’s a lot of listening! You have to understand the creative challenges, the history of brands, and the current climate – and integrate all of this to then be a source of ideas. We are the bridge between cultural industries and advertisers, helping them find their voices, which will resonate with audiences and make sense. Then, as things progress, we provide support at every stage.
Looking forward, how do you see the future of sound production in the context of the AI evolution in the creative industries?
For me, the challenge lies between standardization and personalization. Advertising evolves according to rules of usage, trends, and innovations, like all creative fields, and the use of AI in advertising is no exception. We’re in an era of enormous possibilities, and we have to know how to take advantage of them.
Want to learn more about the KFC x Cheetos campaign? Check out the full video on our LinkedIn or Instagram.
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