KFC features Colonel Sanders as its mascot. The character represents Harland David Sanders, the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken and the brand's most recognizable symbol.
Sanders began selling fried chicken in Kentucky during the 1930s and developed the recipe and business model that became KFC. Although he died in 1980, his white suit, goatee, black string tie, and glasses remain central to the company's visual identity.
KFC advertisements have used both photographs and fictionalized portrayals of Sanders. Actors and comedians including Darrell Hammond, Norm Macdonald, and Jim Gaffigan have played different versions of the Colonel in television campaigns. These portrayals are advertising characters rather than the real Sanders.
A common mix-up is confusing KFC's mascot with its founder: Sanders was a real entrepreneur, while the modern advertising Colonel is a stylized brand character based on him.