KFC has just introduced the “double down” burger to Australia. I’m not particularly “a-breast” (OH YES!!) with the products of Colonel Sanders although I am aware that the “double down” has achieved certain notoriety stateside for being ridiculously unhealthy, laden in fat and containing a large percentage of one’s recommended fat intake.

Containing, “bacon, two different kinds of melted cheese, the Colonel’s ‘secret’ sauce… pinched in between two pieces of Original Recipe chicken fillets,” it’s called a “sandwich” although there is no actual bread. So basically it’s bacon and cheese “sandwiched” between two bits of chicken. Despite being horribly bad for you (it contains more than a days salt intake) this burger would actually suit someone doing the Atkins diet (fun fact: Mr Atkins died of a heart attack) as it’s full of fat but contains barely any carbs.

Let’s be honest though: KFC hasn’t introduced this burger because they felt there was a big gap in the market for another sloppy fat-laden burger, but because of the mass media attention it received in the States (where everyone eats shit like this right, so how is it even a big deal?), which they are clearly hoping to duplicate here.

It’s worked. “DOUBLE DOWN!!!” my friend Bec announced on Twitter, while benbirchall proclaimed: “Every time you tweet about that fatty chicken burger, God deep fries a unicorn.” As I write this, “KFC” is a trending topic in Australia.

According to Crikey, the double down has seen an incredible amount of media interest in Australia since this morning.

By 11am this morning, Media Monitors counted almost 100 mentions of the Double Down heart-stopper across print and broadcast media. Radio stations gave it more than 50 plugs, while 25 mentions were found on news websites across the country.

Plenty of papers took the negative angle, reporting on how we’re becoming a nation of fatties, quoting dieticians and the like, and then you had people like The Courier Mail who actually gave it somewhat of a positive spin, quoting one parent saying “I wouldn’t eat it all the time. It’s a special treat. The kids would like it more I think.” I can’t even imagine how much worse it must be for children to be eating crap like that.

Despite it’s obvious shortcomings healthwise, I can definitely see what their market is. I’m thinking in particular about the boys I used to share an office with who spent hours conversing between cubicles over new menu additions at major fastfood outlets and the pluses and minuses of the crispy skin chicken compared to the flame grilled whopper or whatever it was, reading blogs, sending emails around and hording coupons. Sad but true, boys have a certain passion for the more disgusting side of fast food, whereas girls are less likely to be interested unless they are A). drunk or B). it includes the words “light”, “diet”, “fat-free”, or “healthy”.

KFC has factored in this male love of crappy food in their marketing for the Double Down and the idea of it’s association with “ManTime”.

Says the press release:

“Research…revealed that a favourite ManTime activity is eating. And manly eating just wouldn’t be the same without meat — three out of four men thought their idea of a perfect ManTime meal had to include meat, and that same percentage looked forward to choosing what they wanted to eat. With this in mind, KFC felt they had a duty to provide a manly meal for the men of Australia and provide the ultimate ManTime indulgence — The Double, the burger of choice for the men of Australia.”

If i was a “man of Australia” I would personally be offended by this image of the meat guzzling, chesting thumping, Double Down eating cave-man.

All in all, I think the Double Down looks disgusting. But dammit if I don’t have a craving for one right now!!!