It has become quite common for many shops to partner with popular games to advertise and boost sales. Not long ago, a collaboration between KFC and Genshin Impact—marking the beginning of the cosplay festival for the game—significantly boosted sales for both the fried chicken shop and publisher Mihoyo. In fact, when the PlayStation 5 was released, KFC launched a similar advertising campaign. However, recently, their idea seems to have been “borrowed” quite cleverly, with the selected game this time being Elden Ring.
Recently, a fried chicken shop has gained sudden fame—not for the appeal or deliciousness of its chicken dishes, but for a creative twist involving a PC set up at the cash register, displaying the game Elden Ring. With the slogan “10 yuan for a try,” gamers can challenge themselves to defeat a boss. If they win, they receive a prize from the shop. However, if they lose, 10 yuan (about 30,000 VND) quickly disappears.
In a video released by the fried chicken shop, two elementary school students became the first “victims.” The first student fell to the boss in just 7 seconds, while the second student fared little better. This challenge quickly garnered a lot of attention from gamers. Many believe that the challenge set by the fried chicken owner is not too difficult, as there are many ways to defeat these bosses. However, this may not be simple for casual customers enjoying fried chicken.
Additionally, the fried chicken shop owner deserves praise for their creativity, as whether players win or lose against the boss, the character still receives gold and upgrades, while the shop itself gains rapid fame. There have been some criticisms online regarding this “profit-making” scheme, but the shop owner personally denied it, claiming that the 10 yuan per game is just a marketing tactic, and in reality, he does not take money from these customers.
Nevertheless, it must be acknowledged that the appeal of Elden Ring is currently very strong. And those who are clever enough to incorporate it into PR and marketing, like this shop owner, are quite rare.