Recently, we can see products which names have the name of the specialty of the Korean region. In the food industry, they are interested in specialties. The specialty of one region has a better taste than the other food grown in other places. So, the people in the food industry tend to use specialties in their products. They use the name of a specialty and its region for their new product's name or use specialties by an ingredient in their products. This method is called a regional brand naming. Why a lot of companies use this method? What examples of regional brand naming are there?

▲ We can see products which names have the name of the specialty of Korean region.

Because there are advantages, many food companies use regional brand naming. First, brand naming is able to help them to increase awareness by friendliness. To people who do not know the brand, even to a Korean who does not know a foreign brand, the regional brand naming products can be very familiar. So, they can start to be interested in the products and get to know the new brand. Also, the products of regional brand naming can be an issue, and it will increase awareness and profits of the brand. Second, farms can make a stable customer. These days, consumers of farms' products are decreasing. So, many farmers cannot get enough income. However, farms can get stable income by collaboration with brands which want to use regional brand naming.

▲ A lot of farms that offer a hundred tons of Omija could make their stable customers through this advance of drink market.

There are plenty of examples of regional brand naming in South Korea. Starbucks, the most famous cafe brand in the world, collaborated with Korean farming association and produced Mungyeong Omija drink. It is made with Omija which is a specialty of Mungyeong. Also, in 2019, they released Icheon Rice latte and frappucino. It was made with freshly harvested rice which is a specialty of Icheon. These products could attract the attention of many people and can increase profits. We can see examples of regional brand naming in convenience stores. CU collaborated with Hoengseong livestock cooperatives and produced box lunch, triangle gimbap, normal gimbap, sandwich and soup made with Hoengseong Korean beef. These products are very popular among a lot of people.

▲ Starbucks released Icheon Rice latte and frappucino which are made with Icheon`s freshly harvested rice.

Because of advantages and successful examples, this regional brand naming will be vitalized more and more by not only food brands but also a variety of brands.

April 6th, 2019

by Lee Ji-eun