The Missing Flavour in Brand Localization

Around every September, people get obsessed with pumpkin-flavored coffee.

Have you ever wondered why?

I’ve been thinking about this while reading Hit Makers by Derek Thompson, a very interesting book about why some things becomes huge successes while others, even when they’re just as good, don’t.

The Pumpkin Spice Latte is a great example.

Starbucks took something familiar: the cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, flavors we already associate with pumpkin pie and Autumn, and they put them somewhere unexpected: coffee!

Then there’s scarcity. You can only get it for a short period every year.

And, most importantly, there’s the feeling attached to it: cozy mornings, sweaters, Halloween, autumn, nostalgia…

People aren't just buying a latte.

They’re participating in Pumpkin Spice Season. They’re buying autumn!

And it got me thinking about Brazil.

Every June and July, we have our own seasonal flavors that come with an entire emotional world attached to them: pamonha, mingau de milho verde, corn cakes, cinnamon, cloves...

The nostalgia, the seasonality and the emotional connection are already there.

But I still haven’t seen major coffee chains really playing with these flavors and turning them into signature seasonal drinks.

And I think that’s a big, missed opportunity.

Sometimes, the most powerful marketing idea isn't something completely new but

something that already belongs to your culture. You just have to look at it differently.

So tell me: would you try a pamonha latte?

Or what Brazilian flavor do you think brands are completely sleeping on?