KFC’s brand positioning in China

Reference source:
http://resources.alibaba.com/topic/531563/KFC_s_localization_strategy_in_China_.htm

KFC is the most popular fast food restaurant in China, though it only ranks 7th in the US market where it comes from. I think a major reason of the success is its great brand positioning. It leveraged points of parity and difference at the same time.

KFC recognized itself as a fast food restaurant, when it first entered Chinese market 23 years ago and people had no idea what the westerners’ fast food. Knowing that Chinese people love to eat chicken, KFC introduced its products by creating an image of “The US Fried Chicken Expert” in customers’ mind. Using “chicken” as the frame of reference to attract customers, it also emphasized on its unique US-flavor taste.

As more competitors like McDonalds entered fast food market in China, KFC speeded up research and development and come up with attractive new products continously to reinforce its market leader position. It became the first fast food restaurant with an idea of product localisation, as its advertisement shows——”We produce fast food that caters to Chinese taste”. KFC involves more Chinese ingredients and recipes into new products successfully; and most of them were still designed based on what KFC was famous for——fried chicken.