Two More Asian Brands Set to Emerge Globally

Korea’s Kyochon Chicken and China’s Huawei cellphones are two of five international brands set to emerge into the American consciousness as they grow into global players, according to an article in the advertising trade journal Adage. The other three are Mexico’s Kidzania, Canada’s Joe Fresh and France’s Sandro and Maje.

Kyochon — which means “a village with a Buddhist temple” — has won over millions of fans for its double-fried crispy chicken since its founding in Osan, S. Korea in 1991. Many of those fans are in China and the US. Its 10 US locations are in the Los Angeles and New York areas, with a flagship store on Fifth Avenue.

Kyochon has several draws that distinguish it from other chicken chains. One is the way the chicken is fried for extra-crispiness. Another is the variety of neo-Korean flavors that combine red pepper, garlic, onions, honey and puffed rice bits. A third is bulgogi chicken which is seasoned by traditional Korean barbecue. Yet another appealing touch is the free soda, as well as a selection of non-free beers.

The chain plans to begin franchising once it has achieved sufficient word-of-mouth in the US.

The other Asian brand set to emerge in the US is China’s Huawei, a maker of low-cost smartphones with a substantial share of the China market. Its phones are already being carried in the US by AT&T, Sprint Nextel Corp.and T-Mobile USA, typically as lower-cost options like the Android Huawei Fusion, sold through AT&T’s GoPhone prepaid service.

Huawei hopes to exit stealth mode soon with a national ad campaign to be created by the British agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty combined with an experiential marketing campaign by Jack Morton Worldwide.