A new KFC commercial airing in the United Kingdom and Ireland has stirred widespread outrage, with many Christians accusing the fast-food giant of mocking the sacred Christian rite of baptism and glamorizing cult-like behavior.

The two-minute advertisement, “Believe Part 2: All Hail the Gravy,” begins with a young man wandering through the woods. He discovers a chicken and then stumbles upon a mysterious group of people marching through the forest carrying a giant golden egg. The scene climaxes with the man being carried into a pool of steaming gravy by a female character and submerged in what resembles a ritualistic ceremony. When he emerges, he is “reborn” as a crispy KFC Mini Fillet to the cheering of the crowd.

Many viewers are not laughing. Nearly 600 formal complaints have been filed with the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), with concerns ranging from its potentially disturbing content to its perceived mockery of baptism. “We’re currently assessing these to establish whether there are grounds for further action,” a spokesperson for the ASA told DecisionMarketing. “But just to be clear, we’ve not launched an investigation at this stage.”

Critics argue that the imagery goes far beyond harmless fun. On Marketing/Beat, a UK-based advertising forum, users called the ad “disgusting,” a “disgrace,” and “beyond the pale.” Some accused KFC of glamorizing cultism, cannibalism, and even grooming. One user summarized the public sentiment bluntly: “This isn’t creative. It’s deeply offensive.”

In a press release, KFC UK described the ad as “an odyssey through the mystical woodland” and a “modern-day fable” meant to celebrate the passion fans have for the brand’s gravy. According to KFC, the golden egg acts as a “guiding light” as followers parade through the forest, eventually leading to the gravy lake baptism. The ad was intended to “bring an entertaining antidote to this dull, chaotic world,” said Monica Silic, KFC’s chief marketing officer for the UK and Ireland.

But for Christians, the commercial appears to tread on sacred ground. Baptism, a profound symbol of death, burial, and resurrection in Christ, is central to the Christian faith. To see it portrayed in a tongue-in-cheek ad for fried chicken has many believers wondering how far brands are willing to go in pursuit of attention.

“What KFC is calling lighthearted, millions see as sacred,” one UK pastor commented online. “This ad doesn’t inspire joy—it mocks something deeply holy.”

As of now, the ASA has not confirmed whether a formal investigation will be launched, but the volume of complaints suggests this controversy is far from over.