Leading Zimbabwean retailer Choppies has launched a new fried chicken brand called CFC (Choppies Fried Chicken) at its Whitecliff store. The new brand bears clear similarities to global giant KFC, from its name which mimics the acronym down to its packaging aesthetics. Are we going to witness another lawsuit in the chicken-wars?
General consumers may not pick up on or care about the creative borrowing as long as the product is familiar and satisfying. The copied trademarks trigger top-of-mind awareness of fried chicken that CFC can benefit from without having to spend heavily on new brand marketing.
By piggybacking on strategies proven successful elsewhere, CFC takes an efficient “fast follower” approach over riskier innovation.
The approach could however backfire if perceived as merely piggybacking on KFC’s household name instead of establishing a distinct identity.
Beyond echoing KFC, CFC’s prominent use of red and yellow in its logo and store design also draws clear inspiration from Zimbabwean chains Chicken Inn and Chicken Slice.
Here Choppies seems to be targeting national pride by embracing the domestic category leaders’ branding. However, the move risks looking derivative rather than paying homage.
The supermarket chain is no stranger to private label products, but creating a whole restaurant brand is a major leap into direct competition with specialized incumbents. Choppies will need to differentiate CFC beyond seeming like a chicken-inspired acronym.
Introducing a new brand that leans so heavily on established players’ naming and aesthetics could face criticism of being unoriginal. While harnessing familiarity helps connect with consumers, CFC must still carve out unique space in a crowded category.
At the same time, the market opportunity for an affordable homegrown chicken chain remains. If CFC can leverage Choppies’ supply chain infrastructure and deliver on quality, the concept stands a chance. The brand must simply show more creativity and boldness to complement the borrowed elements. Challenging the category incumbents will require moving beyond mimicking their recipes for success.
Read more:
- No Walkers, No Game: David Beckham and Thierry Henry’s Advertising Masterclass
- KitKat Rides Windows Crash Wave With Brilliant “Red Screen of Death” Advert
- Nik Naks launches new ‘Cheesy Kota’ flavour with help from Maglera Doe Boy
- Adidas Captures the Lamine Yamal Story in, “The Goat and The Kid” Advert
- Apple Trolls Android in new ‘Privacy on iPhone’ Advert
