Vegetarianism - exclusivity - and marketing technique (of KFC and others)

Any incongruity over here in this photo ?  (taken in Mumbai Powai area in 1^st of Aug 2014)

You have names and brands which are so unique – that you think them to be of specific targeted audience alone !  Economics is an interesting subject; no, not at the time when you are studying ! ~ there is market dynamics, that an entrepreneur would do anything to succeed .. !! … there is Supply and Demand - one of the most fundamental concepts of economics and it is the backbone of a market economy. Demand refers to how much (quantity) of a product or service is desired by buyers. Supply represents how much the market can offer.

KFC (the name was originally an initialism for Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a fast food restaurant chain that specializes in fried chicken and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States.KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is now everywhere in India; it is a fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, United States, specializing  in fried chicken.  KFC founded by Harland Sanders, is  "American icon",  being  world's largest fried chicken chain. The name itself is very suggestive.

I have recently posted on ‘Twenty 20 Big Bash’ in Australia, which is  sponsored by KFC.    KFC Australia launched its 2014/2015 cricket campaign via Ogilvy Sydney, with a TVC celebrating the 'Home Cricket Ground', or 'HCG' - the place where Aussie fans love to watch cricket.  The promo tells that with the majority of Australians following the cricket in their own living room, KFC wants to toast the HCG in recognition of its importance to cricket fans around Australia.  The new campaign focuses on the traditions of coming together with friends and family to watch the cricket at home. With every cricket-mad household having its own rituals for watching games, KFC wants to deliver some fun along with that delicious taste to HCGs around Australia this summer.

I had in 2003 posted on all-vegetarian KFC for Gujarat’.  Though sounding incredulous, at Ahmedabad, KFC had opened one outlet that won’t  supply - ham sandwiches,fried chicken buckets and beef patties but offer  pure vegetarian menu……. ~ same to be followed as a market practice by other global fast food chains like McDonalds or Subway. Don’t ask why then KFC or Subway or McDonald !  - it is not even vegetarian menu, they are contemplating traditional Jain food.    There were reports that  Subway’s first all vegetarian counter opened at a private university in Punjab, after which the restaurant chain decided to experiment with the Jain cuisine for Gujarat. Pizza Hut too made its Gujarat foray with its first vegetarian restaurant in the world in Ahmedabad, offering Jain food. 

The photo at the start is of KFC outlet  in Powai area Mumbai, promoting itself to be all vegetarian !!

By the same yardstick, the much touted Bachelor’s paradise of Triplicane (the area that I live in Chennai) housing so many lodges for  bachelors [includes forced ones staying away from family] too had changed. There is  Rathna Café, A2B, Sri Krishna Sweets, Sangeetha …. Then there have been good quality messes -  Sydoji Café, Kasi Vinayaka Mess, Ambal Mess, Bharathi Mess, Neo Mitra Bhavan, Vadivelan mess and there are so many smaller ones without even name boards…….. For long Triplicane had fine quality ‘exclusive Vegetarian messes’ …… now most of them  are non-vegetarian messes or many of Veg messes serve omlette too……… Sad for a pure Vegan !!!

With regards – S. Sampathkumar

15^th Nov. 2014.