Western Food Ads Often Fail In Emerging Markets Because Of A Misguided Emphasis

Companies attempting to launch new foods and beverages into emerging markets frequently fail because they apply their own cultural assumptions in their ad messages. Specifically, “they jump to a pleasure position with their brands,” says food branding expert Peter Wennstrom. Instead, companies need to pay special attention to the nutritional component of their healthy and functional food ads because consumers in emerging markets “still have an experience of nutritional shortage”. Too many ads for Western products emphasize the pleasure gained from eating the brand first, putting too little emphasis on how the product meets important nutritional needs.