This might not offer Ali anything in the way of solace, but it is interesting.

Here’s something to make you gaze in wonder a little more at the depths of decay in advertising, and the interesting things that people will believe if told properly.

In case you haven’t caught it yet, Kentucky Fried Chicken is running a new set of ads that promote how healthy fried chicken is for you. They do this with a completely straight face, and the tag line includes some facts about fat content, or some other number to make it sound official. Slate has a nice piece on this one.

I find it surprising that they would choose to go this route in the wake of the “I’m suing the fast food restaurants for making me a huge slobbery fat person” stuff. I already talked about that once, and won’t rehash it for you here.

Now picture the type of person they are targeting here. It’s got to be someone that loves fried chicken. Well who wouldn’t? I have eaten the stuff myself, many times. I usually regret it, but it can be tasty. It’s also someone that is at least aware of healthy eating as a concept. Again, it’s hard to find someone that couldn’t tell what an acceptable healthy choice for food would be, we are pummelled with it daily in adverstising format. Still, these ads are looking for the type of person that still somehow is willing to believe that fried chicken is healthier than a hamburger. In fact, we are told that it can be part of a healthy lifestyle. If it’s part of a healthy lifestyle, an all-fried-chicken diet must be part of an even healthier lifestyle, right?

Yep, that’s how you sell fried chicken.