The latest advertisement from take-away chicken franchise, KFC, has been branded as racist by US viewers.

In the ad, a white, male cricket fan, Mick, is surrounded by rowdy West Indies fans and asks the camera Need a tip when you’re stuck in an awkward situation? He then says too easy as he shares around a bucket of fried chicken, settling the crowd.

According to The Australian, the ad was posted on YouTube and attracted more than 2,700 comments over three weeks, with critics arguing that it perpetuates the stereotype that African Americans eat fried chicken.

In a statement, KFC said that the ad has been misinterpreted by a segment of people in the US and that the ad was intended for Australian audiences only.

According to the franchise, the ad was produced without KFC’s permission in the US, where we are told a culturally-based stereotype exists, leading to the incorrect assertion of racism.

We unequivocally condemn discrimination of any type and have a proud history as one of the world’s leading employers for diversity, the statement read.

The ad is part of KFC’s Cricket Survival Guide series, and can be viewed by clicking here.