MKT303 - KFC in China: Strategies for Overcoming Marketing Errors

This assignment examines KFC's entry into the Chinese market, focusing on the marketing challenges that arose from the mistranslation of their slogan "Finger-Lickin' Good." It explores the need for KFC to expand into China, the importance of pre-entry market research, and strategies to regain customer trust after the translation error. The solution proposed involves using the slogan "So Good" to promote healthy eating and initiating a marketing campaign with an apology message. Recommendations include understanding cultural values, assessing market demand, and conducting thorough market assessments before international expansion. The presentation concludes by emphasizing the need for KFC to focus on marketing and branding to ensure success in the Chinese market and suggests exploring emerging markets in Southeast Asian countries.

KFC - Kentucky Fried
Chicken
How to Increase customer visit after the ‘Translation
error’
• KFC should arrange different programs and events,
to build back the confidence and trust of the
potential customers by introducing their new
customer loyalty policies in China. Providing best
of services and taste can be the only way in which
KFC could ensures that customers visits even after
translation errors.
Solution to Problem
• The slogan i.e. “So Good” could be used to
improve the brand image as it is framed in a
general sense, which is aimed at marketing healthy
eating and eliminating the negative image of the
food. It was also invented to imitate community
and people of KFC.
• KFC should initiate a marketing campaign with the
apologizing message to emotionally contact with
the customers in China.
• In UK they reduced the size of the slogan so as to
market it in a better manner.
Recommendation
• Understanding the culture and values of the area it
is going to target because these factors differ
country to country.
• Before entering the international market company
must understand the demand of the target market.
• Company should undertake the market assessment
before entering in any market.
• KFC should also look for the emerging markets in
the south east Asian countries as they constitute a
large population that prefers chicken.
REFERENCES
• Kinniburgh, C. and Sun, H. (2015) Teen critical after
suffering burns in workplace accident at North
Geelong KFC [online]. Available from
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/tee
n-critical-after-suffering-burns-in-workplace-accide
nt-at-north-geelong-kfc/news-story/5d92e0dfaab4
fe0d206fca78c2601adb
[accessed 9th September 2018]
• KFC (2018) About KFC [online]. Available from
https://online.kfc.co.in/about-us [accessed 9th
September 2018]
(Source:: Jetstar, 2017)
Slogan In Chinese Market
• China is a big market having large
numbers of population eating
chickens. "Finger-Lickin' Good,” was
the common slogan that was launched
in every country where KFC offer its
tasty chicken. Hence, it is the reason it
launched its same slogan in the
Chinese market.
• Fast food industry in China is very
large having more than two million
facilities. Total revenue of the industry
has raised from $10,465 million in
1994 to 94,218 million in 2013.
Prior to enter in Chinese market
• As it is known KFC is one of
the leading fast-food
restaurants with 23.9%.
company would have first
understood the changing
trends , values, and perception
of the customers in the market
.
• KFC would have hired an
expert of the advertisement
segment, to get the idea of
what actually attracts the
people of China.
• KFC should focus on
marketing so as to ensure
that branding is successful.
• Before entering into Chinese
market, KFC should have
done research on industry
rivalry, population that eats
chicken, purchasing power,
food habits.