KFC buckets sales using FB’s new conversion API

Advertising on Facebook relies considerably on the ability to track people’s behaviour outside the platform and to create audiences based on that to optimise towards specific actions on the site.

Apple’s iOS 14.5 update introduced in spring of 2021 and demise of 3^rd party cookies coming in 2023 has already affected and will impact further, targeting, measurement, and optimisation in digital marketing.

Facebook was quick to find a solution to mitigate the demise of 3rd party cookies, and as the first among all social channels, built a Conversion API (CAPI). It is a tool that works together with the Facebook pixel and enables advertisers to share customer actions directly from the client’s website server to Facebook’s server. It doesn’t use cookies and can easily share data from the customer’s browser providing all necessary consent is in place.

KFC is one of the first global brands to test if the tool can indeed help maintain accurate information from Facebook campaigns and support adapting Facebook strategy in the light of coming changes.

KFC is probably one of those brands that doesn’t need much of an introduction. The vast sales of its famous fried chicken has made the brand the world’s second-largest restaurant chain. In the UAE, one of the 150 countries where KFC operates, significant ad spend is dedicated to increasing orders on the KFC.me website and as one can imagine, the ability to track and use accurate data in Facebook’s targeting is an important part of the activation and optimisation of the campaign.

In this particular test, KFC ran ads in a carousel format displaying selected items, special offers and popular choices on the KFC.me site. Clicking through the ads customers would be taken to the site to place their order.

The brand used a multi-cell conversion lift study on Android devices to measure the incremental purchases driven by the implementation of Conversion API and the results are impressive. One cell used Conversion API and Facebook pixel and the other Facebook pixel only. The cell with both CAPI and pixel measured 5% additional purchases and 4% increase in customer actions compared to the cell with Facebook pixel alone.

We know that implementing the Conversion API tool can seem like a daunting task (believe me, it isn’t) the above shows the importance of adding CAPI to the measurement toolbox, especially for clients who run conversion optimised campaigns.

If you’re struggling with the implementation or deciding whether it’s the right fit for your brand, we’re here to help.