Abstract:

Cultural differences must be taken into account if marketers of culture-bound products and services want to be successful. Food is a good example of such products, where differences and novelty can be an advantage on one, and a shortcoming on the other hand. In any case thorough cultural analysis is needed to overcome obstacles that the introduction of a product into new environment usually represents. The second starting point of our paper was the introduction of a new ketchup brand to the Yugoslav market. In the past, ketchup has been not successful on the Yugoslav market, although in general our consumers quickly and willingly accept new products. It seems, that adopting of the whole fast-food trend by our consumers is a necessary condition for a successful marketing of ketchup. But, because of persisting cultural patterns, the fast-food trend and the whole range of supporting services that accompany these changes in western European countries, are developing very slowly in Yugoslavia. We turned to young generation for the solution of these problems. Our research identified a substantial segment of young fast-food users who had adopted the life-style, symbols and values of the western society. We believe that learning them to use ketchup as an integral part of the fast-food trend would be the best strategy to spread the adoption of this product among the Yugoslav consumers.