Break Me Off a Piece of That…
This is one of those crazy cultural phenoms that fascinates me.
A global brand, largely uniform, yet with a unique presence in a unique environment.
But at what point does a brand cross the line between being "on-brand" and so diversified it has little or no brand power?
I go back to an earlier posting for help: Regional Brands.
*You can also listen to the NPR piece for more on Japan's Kit Kats.
3 Comments
"I suppose if it is an intentional piece of a brand and its communication then there may be no line crossing. Design plays a huge role in the ability help move the line and not dilute a brand, but messaging is also a critical piece. If it is a clear business message from Kit Kat, as well as Chic-fil-A's, that there are alternate, or regional "tastes" involved perhaps it should be thoroughly examined how that message is shared. Aahh, the marriage of Branding and Marketing...."
- Rick Fossum
"The most important factor here is simply cultural norms. Japanese and American tastes are more often than not completely different. Candy with a billion flavors is common in Japan. In fact, it's expected. Similar to the Kit Kat example, Glico's Pocky brand also has all sorts of weird varieties (including a "men's" line, since apparently regular Pocky is for girls).
Another example is the iPhone. When it first launched, Americans loved it. The Japanese were lukewarm, because it didn't have enough "features"."
- Alvin Diec
"Thanks for the comments guys. I like you're thinking Rick."
- Dustin Britt