Traveling through different parts of the world, you may notice differences in the way that familiar brands are marketed — different packaging, different celebrity spokespeople, and perhaps, the availability of flavors that are different from the ones you’re used to seeing in your local stores.
One interesting example of regional brand differences involves the Kit Kat candy bar, as pointed out by CNN recently. Nestlé’s Kit Kat bar is quite popular in Japan. One reason is that the product name is very similar to the Japanese phrase, “Kitto Katsu,” which, when translated, means “surely win.” That phrase happens to be used by students before exams as a term of good luck. Another reason for its popularity is that Nestlé produces special edition flavors of the candy bar for special events and holidays.
In your home country, you may never get to see the wasabi or green tea-flavored Kit Kat bars. How about the corn flavor? Media organization NPR asked its staff to taste some of the different Kit Kat flavors and their reaction to the corn-flavored bar ranged from “Creepy” to “A Kit Kat for the heartland.” More than 200 special edition flavors have been produced since 2000, including jacket-baked potato with butter, Camembert cheese, and hot pepper.
What are your favorite brand differences that you’ve noticed on your travels?
