Mobile 2 | SunMatrix Ramble

The Kentucky Flying Object

KFC India turns a chicken box into a build-it-yourself tech toy. Select boxes for the newly announced Smoky Grilled Wings include the “Kentucky Flying Object.” Also called “KFO.” A mini-drone you assemble yourself.

The limited-edition boxes are available in ten selected cities from January 25 to January 26.

If you receive one of the special boxes, you get your wings plus a fully functioning mini-drone, along with assembly instructions online at kfodrone.com.

Why this is packaging-led “tech savvy” marketing

KFC is not adding a QR code or a one-off AR filter. It is putting the message inside the product experience. The packaging becomes the headline. The consumer gets something physical, surprising, and demonstrably “tech,” in the moment of consumption.

The behaviour it encourages

This is a meal that extends beyond eating.

Assemble.
Show someone.
Fly it.
Share the proof.

The drone is not just a giveaway. It is a social object that creates repeatable conversations, both offline and online.

What to watch if you replicate this play

A high-novelty object inside a food pack raises immediate execution questions.

Safety and compliance. Especially around batteries, rotors, and usage guidance.
Availability clarity. Limited editions can frustrate if expectations are unclear.
Post-purchase support. Instructions, spare parts, and handling issues.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the “Kentucky Flying Object”?

A limited-edition KFC India box concept where select Smoky Grilled Wings boxes include a DIY mini-drone.

When and where is it available?

In ten selected cities from January 25 to January 26.

What is the core marketing idea?

Turn packaging into the primary experience, then let the object create shareable proof that travels beyond the store.

Voice Chocolate

On Valentine’s Day, women in Japan record a voice message on their smartphone. That voice is transformed into a unique chocolate pattern, and a premium patisserie, Mont St. Clair, delivers the custom chocolates to the men they love. The recipient then uses a special app that recognises the AR markers in the chocolate, and the voice message plays back from the smartphone.

The campaign comes from Docomo (Japan’s largest mobile phone company) working with agency Hakuhodo. The business context is straightforward. Voice communication traffic falls sharply over the last 15 years, largely due to messaging apps. Docomo uses the ritual of Valentine gifting to make voice feel emotional and “worth using” again.

Why this works as mobile, packaging, and emotion in one system

This is not content about voice. It is voice turned into a physical artefact. The chocolate is both the gift and the interface. The phone becomes the capture tool. The app becomes the playback layer.

That combination matters because it closes the loop between human intent and digital capability. The message is not typed. It is spoken. It arrives as something tangible. Then it becomes audible again at the moment of receiving.

The pattern to steal

If you want to revive a behaviour that is losing ground, the structure here is repeatable:

Find a culturally accepted moment where the behaviour already makes sense, in this case Valentine gifting.
Convert the behaviour into a physical token people want to give and keep, not a disposable digital asset.
Use an interaction layer (AR, scan, app) that reveals the emotional payload at the right moment, for the recipient.

A few fast answers before you act

What is “Voice Chocolate”?

A Valentine concept where a recorded voice message is transformed into a chocolate pattern, delivered as a gift, then played back via an app that recognises AR markers in the chocolate.

Who is behind it?

Docomo in partnership with Hakuhodo, with chocolates delivered with help from Mont St. Clair.

What problem is it addressing?

Falling voice communication usage driven by messaging apps, by making voice feel meaningful again through gifting.

What is the core experience design move?

Turn a voice message into a physical interface, then use a scan-to-reveal mechanic so the voice returns at the moment of receiving.

Nike NBA: NFC Jersey for Fan Access

To provide a radical new fan experience, Nike and the NBA have unveiled the Nike NBA Connected Jersey, that via an iOS NikeConnect app provides the wearer an all-access pass into the world of their favorite team and players.

To enable this new experience each adult-sized Nike NBA Connected Jersey will now come with an embedded NFC chip that will launch real-time team and player content such as pregame arrival footage, highlight packages and top players favorite music playlists, all on the jersey owner’s mobile device.

Additionally during the season, a wealth of exclusive offers and experiences will also bring fans closer to the game they love.

The jersey becomes a digital key

This is a classic shift from product to platform. The jersey is no longer just merchandise. It is an authenticated access point that unlocks value over time.

Persistent identity. The NFC chip links the physical item to a digital experience layer.
Content as a benefit. Real-time clips, highlights, and playlists extend fandom beyond game day.
Lifecycle engagement. Season-long offers and experiences create reasons to return repeatedly.

Why NFC is the right interaction here

NFC is fast, familiar, and low-friction on mobile. It turns “launch the app” into “tap the jersey”. That matters, because fan engagement dies quickly when the steps feel like work.

The best connected products reduce steps. They make the physical object the interface.

In sports and entertainment merchandising, the strategic unlock is to turn ownership into authenticated access, so the product keeps earning engagement long after the purchase moment.

What this signals about the future of fan experiences

Connected merchandise can do more than push content. It can authenticate presence, segment offers, and reward loyalty in ways that are difficult to achieve through generic apps alone.

Access becomes the differentiator. Not just ownership.
Value becomes ongoing. Not one-time at purchase.
The product becomes a channel. Not just a display of fandom.

What to take from this if you build connected products

Start with a clear benefit. Content and access are the reasons to tap.
Make activation effortless. Tap-based interactions beat long onboarding flows.
Design for a season, not a moment. The experience must evolve over time to stay relevant.
Use exclusivity carefully. The best offers feel earned, not gated for the sake of it.

A few fast answers before you act

What is the Nike NBA Connected Jersey?

It is an NBA jersey from Nike that includes an embedded NFC chip and works with the NikeConnect iOS app to unlock exclusive team and player content and experiences.

What does the NFC chip do?

It enables tap-to-launch access to real-time content such as pregame arrival footage, highlight packages, and player playlists on the owner’s mobile device.

Why is this a “radical” fan experience?

Because it turns a physical jersey into an access pass that can deliver evolving digital benefits throughout the season, not just at the moment of purchase.

What kinds of benefits can connected jerseys unlock?

Exclusive content, season-long offers, and closer-to-the-game experiences that reward fans for owning and engaging with the product.

What is the transferable lesson for brands?

If you can make a physical product an authenticated key to ongoing digital value, you can extend engagement well beyond the initial sale.