How Brands Change Their Flavor to Win the World

Imagine traveling outside of the USA for a trip, but you need to find your favorite snack to make your international experience complete. You walk into the convenience store, that is similarly branded to 7/11, to find that the flavor you are looking for is not in store. “Yikes” is the exact word that came out of my mouth when I was looking for Spicy Nacho Doritos in Tulum, Mexico. This however wasn’t uttered in disappointment; it was more of a culture shock. The logo on the products were like USA but had completely different flavors.

This was my first time seeing a brand’s portfolio change due to the region we were in. In marketing, these concepts of identity and local taste are dictated by the Country-of-Origin Effect (COE) and Regional Branding. Let’s dive in to understand more.

COE and Branding

The reason why brands change their playbook when the move their products abroad is because of the COE. The cost of origin effect refers to how consumers judge a new product or brand based on its country of origin or assumed origin. If a country makes a product with the highest quality, its reputation can be known as the best in the world.

As I’m deciding which flavor of chips to choose in the absence of the one, I was looking for, I came across a pizzerolas flavor. I have never seen this flavor before and as a chip expert, I don’t believe these are offered in the USA. Frito-Lay is an American company, that has expanded its portfolio into different regions. This is an example of Glocalization. It is the practice of adapting globally distributed products to fit specific local cultures, preferences, and environments.

This is a useful tactic because its builds relevance                      Picture by Me

 and connection between the brand and consumers in that region. We can’t simply copy and paste American products into different parts of the world and expect them to gain appeal to those consumers because they may have different preferences when it comes to their diet and may not feel that their culture is aligned with the product.

Brands Nailing the Regional Game

Burgers, chicken tenders, and fries are usually exclusive to most American fast-food chains, so when these brands venture abroad to a wider audience, they must tweak their menus just a little to ensure they have products that align with the regional culture to have consumers coming back for more and truly thrive in the area.

I saw this regional change firsthand in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. After landing in the country, we began our journey to our hotel, which was a 2 ½ hour ride with winding roads and a considerable amount of rain. All a sudden we see a McDonalds, which cause automatic cheers within the group because we were starving. This location was very nice and updated. We then went inside and proceeded to order but I noticed the menu looked a little different. They offered fried chicken and cheddar bacon fries, which is not available on the menu in USA. While this wasn’t a regional product that align with the Costa Rican culture, it gives those consumers Picture by Me

a chance to try American foods that are made differently.

Another example of this is how Frito-Lay appears in different countries. The image to the right was captured in Cancun, Mexico, which shows an array of Frito-Lay chips with different branding and flavors. The brand known as “Sabritas” is the Mexican owned snack company under PepsiCo, which is their “Lay’s Chips” that Americans are familiar with. They have aced their regional game by offering flavors like Tamarind, Pizzerolas, Elote, Mandarin Picture by Me

& Limon…etc. which are not normally seen in US markets, but match the vibes and flavors of the region it is in.

The Takeaway: SMBs & Influencers

Now you may be wondering, “how can I apply this to my business model?”. Small business owners should focus authenticity, many don’t need to be global to use COE. You can offer a product or feature that is specific to their community like a regional spice (Cajun), or the techniques used when making the product (Chicago Style Pizza). This will for sure set you apart by providing the taste of an item that consumers may be searching for but don’t have access to due to proximity.

For influencers this may look a bit different because you are sharing your lifestyle and unique experiences. This could look like documenting regional dishes when traveling, rating snacks from a different country, or trying different fashion pieces specific to that region. Cultural curiosity can increase your social media engagement, by showing what you experienced, you can influence others to do so as well.

Conclusion

While big brands with massive budgets can build prominent global reputations, they can’t replicate local culture and the taste that they create. This goes beyond fast food and snacks: taking a step back and analyzing what you can create that aligns with your local culture makes you unique. Once you align with your niche and offer a regional flair that is hard to find, you will master the COE, but in a different way.