The Impact of Local Consumer Insights in Brand and Innovation Strategies

Many times as a franchisee, it can feel like you’re on an island. While you’re in charge of some decisions, other decisions are made by others that directly affect you. Especially considerations regarding branding and innovation. However, there are ways you can take control of that as well.

When I was at PepsiCo, I was in a meeting with several QSR franchisees when the subject of brand and innovation was raised. Several of the franchisees made comments around the same theme: branding and innovation all take place at the corporate level and generally don’t take local consumers into consideration. There was understanding from the corporate representatives but with the caveat that whenever franchisees try their own branding or innovation, it’s the wild west and usually doesn’t fall in line with the master brand/innovation strategy.

Does this impasse sound familiar? Corporate marketing departments spend millions of dollars to understand the consumer, develop innovation that will work on a national scale, and establish a master brand strategy that gives a clear identity and consistent consumer experience. However, the franchisees are on the front lines every day, hearing directly from consumers and are usually locals who know their consumer base more intimately.

The franchisees can do little things here and there, like choosing to offer Dr. Pepper instead of Mr. Pibb in the southern states (where they definitely know the difference in taste). But regardless of the type of business you’re in, how can consumer insights directly impact your brand and innovation strategies? Here are two suggestions:

Be purposeful in your local marketing - Most franchisees are responsible for their own local marketing. Many default to sponsoring a local sports team, putting up a billboard in the high school gym, or running a low-budget local television ad. These don’t require a lot of consumer insight and therefore, are easily duplicated by competitors or you get lost in the crowded messaging landscape.

Your boots-on-the-ground knowledge of your local consumer gives you tremendous insight into what is meaningful to them. You’re hearing positive and negative feedback every day and your consumers are your friends and neighbors. Capitalize on that unique understanding to market your establishment by telling a unique story that resonates with your local consumer base.

There’s always a local angle on a national or global brand identity. For instance, I did a project for KFC in Thailand and the franchisees had done such a great job of making everything about KFC local to Thailand that many of the people there we talked to had no idea KFC was an American brand. You can do something similar with your brand by taking the unique aspects of your local culture and adapt the national brand identity to it.

Maximize and monetize local consumer feedback - Franchisees usually aren’t set up to do consumer research, but they are getting unsolicited and solicited feedback all the time. Create a rudimentary database of the feedback you receive, ask meaningful questions of your regular customers who are invested in your success, and even co-develop marketing and innovation ideas with them. Invite a group of your loyal customers into your establishment before or after hours, hold a discussion, ask questions, and really listen to and develop empathy for them. That can help you co-create these branding and innovation strategies with those most invested in your success.

With a little extra time and thinking a bit out of the box, there are lot of opportunities to take advantage of at your doorstep to expand your brand locally and innovate in a way that is unique to your local consumer.

Brett Townsend is SVP of Strategy at Quester and has had a successful career of generating sizable revenue on both the corporate and agency sides of consumer insights. Along with Tim Hoskins, he is also co-author of the book “Insights on the Brink.”