(Fox News) -- No more finger lickin’ here.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, KFC has suspended advertisements using the brand’s classic “Finger Lickin’ Good” slogan in the U.K. after the Advertising Standards Authority reportedly received multiple complaints concerning a new ad that launched two weeks ago.
The ASA received 163 complaints from viewers after the ad debuted on television, a spokesperson confirmed to Fox News. The commercial, called "Piano," showed multiple people licking their fingers while eating in public places.
Complaints called the ad “irresponsible” because it potentially “encourages behavior that might increase the chances of coronavirus spreading,” e.g, touching the face.
After airing the ad, however, KFC quickly ended the campaign before ASA had even informed the fast-food chain of viewers’ concerns, the spokesperson told Fox News.
KFC did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment, but in a statement to AdAge, the brand said it was withdrawing the ad, and alluded to the viral pandemic.
“It doesn’t feel like the right time to be airing this campaign, so we’ve decided to pause it for now — but we’re really proud of it and look forward to bringing it back at a later date,” the statement read.
The fried chicken chain is not the only brand thinking twice about its advertisements in light of the worldwide outbreak.
Hershey’s also pulled an ad featuring people hugging and shaking hands, while Coors Light discontinued its “Official Beer of Working Remotely” campaign amid the outbreak, AdAge reported.
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