Yum Brands (NYSE: YUM) has an exciting new plan to revive its sagging KFC chain: moving the emphasis away from fried chicken.

Now wait a minute you say: How can Kentucky FRIED CHICKEN possibly re-invent itself as what CEO hopes will be a "nonfried chicken platform."

I doubt that it can, although I understand the temptation. Fried chicken has become synonymous with poor health and KFC has tried to change that image by changing its name from Kentucky Fried Chicken to KFC.

Does Yum really think people are that stupid -- or that KFC will be able to re-establish itself as something other than a fried chicken joint? What's the point of even trying? That is KFC's brand. If you want to make it into a non-fried chicken restaurant, why not just start a new chain?

The fact is that KFC will in all probability sink or swim as a fried chicken restaurant -- radical reinventions of brands that are synonymous with one product almost never work.

Yum is trying to turn hula hoops into Furby's.