KFC Taps Melissa Cash From Wingstop as U.S. CMO

KFC U.S. has appointed Melissa Money as its chief advertising and marketing officer.Money joins from rival fried hen chain Wingstop, the place she has been for 3 years, most just lately as senior vp and chief model officer. The marketer will report back to KFC U.S. president Catherine Tan-Gillespie, who till April 2025 held the CMO title herself.KFC’s ‘Comeback Period’In her new place, Money will oversee model technique, calendar, meals innovation, built-in advertising and marketing, media and communications, shopper insights and analytics, and ecommerce advertising and marketing for the Yum! Manufacturers enterprise.“Melissa’s status as an genuine storyteller, motivating changemaker, builder of high-performing groups, and champion of creativity makes her the perfect individual to steer our advertising and marketing operate—a vital driving power behind our comeback plan to drive distinction and development in a aggressive market,” mentioned Tan-Gillespie.KFC declared its Comeback Period in July with a marketing campaign targeted on worth and fronted by a serious-looking Colonel Sanders.The model reported a 5% drop in U.S. same-store gross sales for the three months to August. Money’s hiring dovetails with different management appointments at KFC, together with Tiffany Furman being named chief development officer.