They use Obama look-a-likes for actual KFC ads in Hong Kong anyway. It's just because of celebrity. It has nothing to do with race. If it was Schwarzenegger fried chicken would people care?
Although China is certainly a country full of racial discrimination, I don't believe even 1% of Chinese would get the stereotype connecting black people and fried chicken. I did really enjoy the reasoning of the owner of Obama Fried Chicken in New York.
Quote:
“It’s sketched that way to make fun of Obama so people will buy fried chicken.