Oprah is the holy grail of celebrity endorsements, so it shouldn’t have come as such a shock to KFC when its local franchises were inundated with customers eager to collect on a promise of a free two-piece grilled chicken meal.

To help launch its new grilled chicken line as a healthier alternative to fried chicken, KFC brought in Oprah, who is very publicly struggling with weight management, to promote the grilled chicken on her show. As part of the deal, Oprah viewers could visit her Web site and download a coupon for a free two-piece grilled chicken meal. Unprepared for the hoards of Oprah fans, KFC franchises were overwhelmed by the traffic. Customers complained of long lines, stores refusing the coupons, and Internet rumors surfaced about an alleged riot at a Manhattan KFC, which the chain is denying.

Marketing execs at KFC hit a home run when they signed Oprah, but could have better prepared franchisees for the increased demand that comes with an Oprah endorsement. The following are some simple tips for communicating nationwide promotions to local franchises.

• Communicate promotions as far in advance as possible: Give franchisees the opportunity to prepare their stores for crowds by ordering extra product or scheduling additional staff.
• Provide promotion activation guides or tool kits: Ensure franchisees are communicating the right messages to customers by supplying message guides and background information on the promotion, and give them tips for marketing the promotion locally.
• Set expectations: Provide traffic data from past promotions, or proxy data, so franchisees won’t be caught off-guard during the campaign.
• Measure ROI: Use this as an opportunity to gauge consumers’ attitudes about the company and the promotion. This will help not only in determining the success of the promotion in changing customers’ opinions, but guiding decision-making about future promotions.