KFC and We Are Social use metaverse to break barriers in music education for Thai youth

KFC has teamed up with socially-led creative agency We Are Social Thailand and Warner Music for the KFC Bucket Search x WAVS 3 project to provide Thai youths with opportunities to build a career in the music industry.

The project brings together two initiatives, the KFC Bucket Search, which provides Thai youths in juvenile centres with education and opportunities to reintegrate into society, and WAVS, a community initiative led by Warner Music to help artists from across the country gain access to education and professional development opportunities in the music industry.

We Are Social led the brand partnership, campaign strategy and creative execution for the project which included creating an immersive branded space for KFC within the WAVS metaverse platform also developed by the agency.

The platform enables the community to learn, connect, and grow whenever they want and wherever they are. Participants receive guidance from coaches through the platform and can brainstorm, compose, and share music with peers. It connects directly to the streaming platform in real-time, making the creative process more interactive and accessible.

The technology has helped eliminate both geographical and financial barriers with participants in the program who are able to access the platform virtually anywhere on a standard computer.

In its third year, We Are Social has also helped WAVS facilitate partnerships with L’Oréal, Maybelline, Garnier, and Marshall for the initiative. The program is rolled out over three phases: recruitment and live audition via the metaverse or in-person at Warner Music Studio; workshops where participants will be able to build their virtual studio, connect with the community and learn in virtual and IRL environments; and a live performance sponsored by the brand partners.

Suhayl Limbada, market lead & chief marketing officer, KFC Thailand, said: “This project was designed to unlock the potential of out-of-school youth. We believe in the power of ‘music’—not just as an art form for entertainment, but as a tool for emotional healing and a gateway to new life opportunities.”

“KFC chose to drive this project with a vision of finding ‘shared values’ by igniting the hidden potential within each individual and embracing every dream. The collaboration with We Are Social (as the developer adapting the metaverse technology) and Warner Music Thailand (as the music network and coaches) is a perfect synergy that takes the KFC Bucket Search to a more profound level,” added Limbada.

Patt Nitikarn, managing director at We Are Social Thailand, added: “Bringing the KFC Bucket Search together with WAVS felt like the perfect synergy. Together, KFC and Warner Music are giving rare opportunities to out-of-school youth to learn digital music skills, helping them build a career as an artist and re-enter society with dignity.

“At We Are Social, we believe in crafting solutions that go beyond just marketing but also help solve real challenges in innovative and meaningful ways. Utilising the metaverse for this project allowed us to help create safe and accessible spaces for participants who would otherwise have been unable to take part in such a program due to geographical and financial limitations. The metaverse is more than just a piece of technology; it’s a safe space that creates opportunities. It has helped turn the dreams of at-risk youth into a reality on an equal footing.”