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DESPITE THE LACK OF A Kreme products and tweet about the promotions targeted at SA tastes. An
doughnut-eating culture experience. The MC was acclaimed example is a milk tart and koeksister
in South Africa, the Krispy speaker Zipho Sikhakhane. doughnut which was offered on
Kreme chain is selling 600 000 Heritage Day in late September. Coffee,
doughnuts a month in the country Eleftheriadis, who is himself an an important part of the product mix, is
through its four Gauteng outlets – a alumni of the IMM Graduate School, also localised and in South Africa it is
figure that will increase markedly over said the ethos of the Krispy Kreme blended and roasted locally, using up to
time as the brand aims to open 35 brand was to bring emotion and joy to 90% African beans.
outlets nationally within five years. customers. “It’s not just about eating
a doughnut; it’s about the whole Doughnuts, however, are the main
According to Nick Eleftheriadis, experience,” he emphasised. Part of focus of the brand and Eleftheriadis
Executive Director: Marketing with the marketing strategy is to promote says the difference between Krispy
responsibility for the brand in South the idea of ‘sharing’ – encouraging Kreme’s product and competitor
Africa, more outlets are being rolled people to buy the product to share with offerings is that it is “a light fluffy
out in Gauteng in 2016 (the Sandton family, friends and work colleagues. product that melts in your mouth”. A
City store opened in September), Therefore, customers are just as likely key ingredient in achieving this is palm
with KwaZulu-Natal beginning its to purchase a dozen doughnuts as they oil imported from Malaysia.
roll-out next year and the Western are to buy one.
Cape in 2018. Responding to a question from the
TARGET MARKET floor, Eleftheriadis told guests that the
He was speaking to an audience of The target market embraces consumers brand’s global communications strategy
professional marketers, students and across the board – from young was to focus mainly on below-the-line
alumni at an Institute of Marketing children to mature adults – with minor strategies. “I’ve yet to see a TV ad; I’ve
Management (IMM) event in Sandton demographic variations according to yet to hear a radio ad. The basic thing
recently. The gathering – held at Katy’s store location. In terms of customer that they (the brand’s global marketing
Palace Bar in Kramerville – was the experience, the brand concentrates on team) want to do is get product in
first of a series of new-look networking five factors: taste, touch, sight, sound hand,” he explained.
and information events being arranged and smell. “We drive it into our brand
by the IMM. and to the people who look after our The Krispy Kreme story began in
brand,” Eleftheriadis said. 1930s America, when Vernon Rudolph
It included entertainment by singer/ bought a secret recipe for yeast-raised
musician Jacques Lagesse, an address While Krispy Kreme has its origins in doughnuts from a French chef in the
by IMM Director, Helen McIntee, the US and boasts a global footprint of city of New Orleans. He then rented
opportunities to sample the doughnuts, more than 800 stores worldwide, there a building in the town of Winston-
and a fun competition in which guests is scope to localise the brand through Salem in North Carolina and started
were asked to take selfies with Krispy a wholesale business selling the
PHOTOS: SUPPLIED doughnuts to grocery stores.
Far left: We were
framed! Two guests However, the delicious scent of
get to grips with the cooking doughnuts drifted into the
product. Left: As street and was too difficult to ignore,
sunset descends on causing passers-by to stop and ask
Katy’s Palace Bar if they could buy hot fresh doughnuts
overlooking Johan- there and then. Vernon saw this as
nesburg, musician an opportunity to create a retail
Jacques Lagesse business and cut a hole in the wall
entertains the crowd. of the building to sell directly
Right: Krispy Kreme’s to customers.
Nick Eleftheriadis,
event MC Zipho The brand has since become an
Sikhakhane and the American icon and is featured in the
IMM’s Helen McIntee National Museum of American History
at the world-renowned Smithsonian
Institute in Washington DC.
October 2016 – January 2017 strategicmarketing 31
