🔥 The fast food giant’s AI secret (and why it matters for your business)

As I was reading the Wall Street Journal this morning (JK, the article was forwarded to me — I wanted to sound sophisticated), something interesting about Yum Brands (they own Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut) got me thinking.

They’re using AI for marketing, but not in the way most people are talking about. Instead of chasing the latest chatbot or automated content creation, they’re focusing on one thing. Matching the right offer to the right customer at the right time.

The results? Double-digit increases in customer engagement and purchases.

But here’s what caught my attention. They didn’t rebuild their entire marketing system. They started with just email. They took their existing promotional messages and used AI to figure out when and to whom they should send them.

It’s like having a really smart assistant who knows that Sarah loves ordering pizza every few weeks to try new menu items, while John only orders for game days with his friends. Instead of blasting both with the same generic “20% OFF!” email, they each get offers that match their actual habits.

Three quick takeaways for your business:

Start small. Pick one channel (like email) instead of trying to transform everything at once.

Use what you have. They didn’t create new content — they just got smarter about using their existing messages.

Think timing, not just content. Sometimes, it’s not about what you say, but when you say it.

-Max

P.S. Curious: What’s one specific marketing task you’d love to make smarter with AI? Hit reply and let me know — I might have a simple solution you can try tomorrow morning.

-Max