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As the years go by, brands are realizing the importance of localization to build brand affinity, engage local communities and increase top of mind awareness.
In an unprecedented move, Lay’s decided to celebrate Nowruz with the Kurdish people of Iraq.
Nowruz, which means new day, marks the first day of spring and is celebrated by Kurds in Iraq and Turkey.
For this occasion, the potato chips brand offered consumers limited edition Nowruz packages with their two favorite flavors, adding a new taste to their spring celebration. Lay's stepped in to express how no market is small and customers around the globe are equally important.
What Lay’s thought was a small gesture, the people of Kurdistan saw as an act of great recognition!
Not only did the limited-edition pack go on shelf, Lay’s took the campaign to the streets through OOH media and also collaborated with a well-renowned Kurdish singer to write and compose a Kurdish song for the occasion, thus boosting affinity within the community.
Lay’s and PepsiCo at large, have clearly understood that the future of brand communications lies in finding a way to integrate communities, and communicate with them in a way that is accessible and engaging through a tone they can understand and a look and feel they can identify with. And in achieving that, Lay’s understood that having a strong local partner is the main piece of the transformation puzzle; therefore, they partnered with content creation agency Brodmann Iraq for this project, to take as many local insights as possible and turn them into assets.
PepsiCo is committed to support and celebrate local communities in Iraq.
“Whether it is through supporting farmers in Iraq, building a more sustainable agricultural supply chain in the region or celebrating Nowruz through speaking native Kurdish with local Kurdish artists and talents, it is our pride and commitment to continue to be part of the Iraqi local fabric,” asserted Schatzi Gheita, Senior Marketing Manager PepsiCo Snacks Iraq.
Brodmann10 believes in the importance of hyper-localization in a market such as Iraq where the median age is at 21 years old living amidst ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity.
Driven by their desire of better self-positioning, Iraqis created their own very diverse and different communities while sharing all together a strong sense of belonging.
“We are committed to embrace local communities, celebrate their diversities, and always strive to better understand them allowing brands we work with to be closer and more relevant to the different Iraqi audiences,” said Noor Shihab, Managing Director at Brodmann10 Iraq.
