KFC Arabia and TBWA\RAAD took home the G.O.A.T. (Greatest of All Time) trophy at the TikTok Ad Awards in Saudi Arabia, the platform’s highest creative honour, reserved for a single campaign that pushes boundaries, feels native to TikTok, and delivers clear results.
The winning ‘Om Bdr-12th Ingredient’ campaign didn’t start in a boardroom or a brainstorming session. It started with Saudi TikTok users pouring Srar Hail, a spicy seasoning created by a local cook named Om Bdr from the town of Hail, over their KFC chicken.
When the behaviour became a pattern, KFC and TBWA\RAAD saw a cultural signal, not a trend to hijack. Instead of mimicking the moment, they made it official: KFC partnered with Om Bdr to bring her seasoning into stores as the brand’s “unofficial 12th herb and spice”, turning a community mashup into a limited-edition menu item that honored its origin.
“Winning G.O.A.T. is a testament to what happens when brands start listening to their audiences.” said Ahmed Arafa, Chief Marketing Officer at KFC Arabia.
Arafa explained, “We didn’t borrow the trend, or ride a viral wave, we made the creator a partner. This campaign was about respecting where the idea came from, crediting the community that discovered it, and turning cultural momentum into something real.
Om Bdr’s seasoning belonged on our menu because our customers put it there first. This award belongs to our customers, Om Bdr, and an incredible team that had the courage to let culture lead.”
The campaign itself rejected the playbook. No cinematic spots. No polished studios. Just real KFC stores, minimal setups, Saudi reporters breaking the news, and more than 35 local creators amplifying it in their own voices. Om Bdr appeared as herself, unfiltered and unmistakably authentic.
Reda Raad, Group CEO at TBWA\RAAD, said, “Disruption® isn’t just about doing things differently. It’s about showing up where your consumers are, listening to what they’re already doing, and building from cultural truth, not creative convention.”
Raad added, “‘Om Bdr-12th Ingredient’ proves that the future of creativity in this region isn’t about importing global playbooks. It’s about trusting local intelligence, empowering brave clients like KFC Arabia, and building work that could only exist here. This G.O.A.T. win isn’t just ours, it’s a signal to every brand in the Middle East that culturally rooted, platform-native thinking wins.”
The results were immediate and measurable. The product sold out in under three weeks. KFC Saudi recorded its highest sales mix to date. Om Bdr sold out of her own seasoning. And the campaign earned TikTok’s top creative prize.
G.O.A.T. recognises work that doesn’t just perform on TikTok, but belongs there. For KFC and TBWA\RAAD, the lesson is clear: the most effective creativity today doesn’t interrupt culture. It contributes to it.
