Building Brand Recognition Abroad: Earning Local Loyalty When Entering a New Country

There are milestones every franchisor hopes to achieve from the minute they sign that first franchise deal. One key moment that can sometimes feel out of reach is accomplishing successful and sustainable international growth. The dream, though, can sometimes overshadow what it takes to get there.

It’s easy to assume that a strong domestic playbook is enough to carry a brand across borders. But even with the most experienced operators in place, combined with robust training systems and a product that you know guests at home love, entering a new country can feel like you’re starting from scratch.

The challenge of building brand recognition in a new country is one of the most underappreciated hurdles in taking a franchise abroad. It’s not enough to simply open your doors and hope curiosity carries you to success. Recognition and ultimately loyalty must be earned.

Freddy’s recently opened its first international location in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and we’re already looking to open our second restaurant by the fall. Winnipeg is historically known as a testing ground for brands looking to enter the Canadian market. During our launch, one of our franchisees excitedly stated that he is “proud to wear the Freddy’s colours.” That sense of pride doesn’t come from signage or ads. It is built through connection, consistency, and trust.

As brands look to expand on a global scale, here are four strategies to help guide your mission to build brand awareness and credibility in a brand-new territory.

Start with education, not expectation

It doesn’t matter how loyal your fanbase is back home if no one knows who you are in this new territory. That’s why consumer education is the crucial first step with international growth. It means teaching your new consumers not only who you are as a brand, but what you have to offer. That might mean explaining your signature product, how your service model works, or what sets your brand apart from competitors that may have already saturated the market.

Simple signage, point-of-sale materials, staff training, and social channels – especially in the digital age – will all be key to helping provide guests with insights into who you are and answer questions they may not even know how to ask.

Localize your messaging

International growth isn’t about simple replication; it’s also about translation in both language and experience. Tone, humor, and visual language all need to resonate with your new, local guests. That might mean adjusting advertising headlines and product names or adapting to some simple spelling differences that tend to be Americanized (such as color versus colour and flavor versus flavour). Community engagement efforts should also be modified to match any regional nuances.

Your brand DNA is non-negotiable

As you work to build brand awareness in your new country, it’s essential to maintain your brand’s identity that you already worked so hard to build up back at home. This means your core values, like hospitality, quality, and cleanliness, should never change. But how you express those values may require some adjustment.

Among those is tailoring your store format to match the local climate and foot traffic patterns. Take drive-thrus, for example. Having a drive-thru option for a restaurant franchise in America is primarily for convenience. But in a location that’s traditionally colder, like Canada, having a drive-thru for guests can truly make or break a brand’s entrance into the market.

Invest in community connection

A large portion of building brand awareness comes from locals simply seeing your brand present and active in the community. Sponsoring local youth sports teams – especially popular sports in the country (like hockey in Canada) – as well as attending area festivals, can not only expose more consumers to your brand, but also demonstrate that you’re a genuine extension to the community.

As you look to expand globally, it’s important to remember that recognition of your brand is not a simple byproduct of entry into a new, international market. But by educating, localizing, and connecting with the community, all while staying true to your brand and remaining consistent in your quality, your brand can quickly grow from unknown to unforgettable.

Erin Walter is the chief marketing officer of Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers.