BOLD STROKES: JOSEPHINE RAIS BRINGS COLOUR TO KFC’S GEN Z CAMPAIGN

Berlin-based multidisciplinary artist Josephine Rais has collaborated with KFC on its “Flex for Real” campaign, creating two vibrant bucket designs aimed at Gen Z audiences. Known for her bold, playful style and global brand collaborations, Rais blends illustration and photography to spark dialogue, joy, and individuality through striking visuals.  

When Berlin-based artist Josephine Rais was commissioned to design illustrations for KFC’s “Flex for Real” campaign, the brief was clear: create visuals that resonate with Gen Z. The result was two distinctive bucket designs—one purely illustrative, the other a mixed-media composition combining illustration with photography—that capture the bold, playful energy of a generation while staying true to KFC’s iconic brand colours.  

Rais, a multidisciplinary artist and digital illustrator, has built her reputation on vibrant depictions of everyday life. Her work explores human identity and individuality through diverse protagonists, organic shapes, and dynamic compositions. For KFC, she channelled this ethos into designs that not only celebrate the brand’s heritage but also speak directly to a younger audience eager for authenticity and creativity.  

The campaign marks another milestone in Rais’s expanding portfolio of collaborations with global brands. Her client list reads like a roll call of contemporary culture: Apple, Adobe, Adidas, Coca-Cola, Casio, Footlocker, L’Oréal, TikTok, and Die Zeit, among others. Across these partnerships, she has produced digital illustrations, murals, animations, and branded content, often serving as a creative face for campaigns that blur the line between art and commerce. Her work appears both digitally and physically around the world, underscoring her ability to adapt across mediums and contexts.  

Rais’s multidisciplinary background underpins her versatility. With a foundation in Fine Arts, a Bachelor’s degree in Product Design, and a Master’s in Strategic Design, she brings a layered approach to her projects. This academic grounding allows her to merge aesthetic sensibility with strategic thinking, ensuring that her work is not only visually striking but also aligned with brand objectives and audience expectations.  

Her creative philosophy is rooted in sparking dialogue and conveying joy. Whether through a mural splashed across a city wall or a digital illustration shared globally, Rais aims to leave a lasting impression. The KFC collaboration exemplifies this mission: the buckets are not just packaging but canvases that invite consumers to engage with the brand in a fresh, colourful way.  

Beyond her commercial work, Rais is committed to sharing her process and insights with wider audiences. She has spoken at Google, Forward Festival, and Pictoplasma, offering perspectives on creativity, identity, and the evolving role of artists in brand storytelling. These engagements highlight her belief in art as a catalyst for conversation and connection, particularly in an era where visual culture dominates digital spaces.  

The “Flex for Real” campaign reflects a broader trend in branding, where companies increasingly turn to artists to infuse campaigns with authenticity and cultural relevance. For KFC, partnering with Rais was a strategic move to align with Gen Z’s appetite for boldness and individuality. For Rais, it was an opportunity to expand her canvas, bringing her distinctive style to one of the world’s most recognisable fast-food brands.  

As her career continues to evolve, Rais remains a figure at the intersection of art, design, and commerce. Her ability to navigate these worlds with ease—producing work that is both commercially effective and artistically resonant—sets her apart in a crowded creative landscape. With each project, she reinforces her commitment to colour, joy, and individuality, ensuring that her art leaves an indelible mark wherever it appears.  

In the case of KFC’s buckets, Rais has transformed everyday packaging into a statement piece, proof that even the most familiar objects can become vehicles for creativity. For Gen Z consumers, the designs are more than decoration; they are an invitation to flex individuality, to embrace boldness, and to find joy in the everyday.