WENDY’S INTERNATIONAL CASE STUDY

Introduction

Wendy’s aim is to achieve international success by expanding its operations globally whilst pursuing its notions of superior quality and competitive prices. In order to do this, it must take into account the needs, attitudes, culture as well as many other determinates of consumer behaviour to be able to penetrate the market and gain market share over its competitors. Wendy’s will need to consider which factors are most important to its target market in influencing their purchase decision and strive to gain a competitive edge in the market. This essay will analyse Wendy’s marketing strategy in its international expansion and in particular, into Germany by identifying the decision making process and determinates that contribute to the attitudes and behaviour of its potential customer base.

Consumer Decision-Making Process

The consumer decision-making process is a series of steps which a consumer will go through before, whilst and after purchasing a product.

The first step is need recognition, where the consumer realises a need that needs to be resolved. This need is often stimulated by advertisements or sighting a product. Consumers go to Wendy’s to satisfy their need for food, which Wendy’s aims to satisfy with its menu. In Korea, Wendy’s restaurants are located in high-traffic, prime visibility locations that keeps the store in the public eye – which may stimulate latent needs of consumers. For example, a consumer who was not overly hungry may decide to drop into Wendy’s to grab a quick snack just because he/she saw the large attractive signs.

Next is information search, whereby customers search for information through their evoked set of recognisable brands. The relevant ones in this case study being McDonalds, Burger King, KFC and of course Wendy’s. In order for Wendy’s to gain an advantage in this