The Hidden Connections that Win Consumers in a Divided World

Consumer tastes are shifting faster than ever, and brands are caught in the tension between broad appeal and local nuance. A one-size-fits-all strategy doesn’t cut it, while overrelying on demographics can be just as misguided. Hershey’s misstep in China proves the point: The company assumed American-style chocolate would resonate, ignoring local tastes and gifting traditions. Meanwhile, Cadbury’s Unity Bar in India, meant to symbolize harmony, fell flat by oversimplifying deep cultural and caste divisions. The lesson? Success lies in understanding what truly resonates — not just on the surface but also deep within each market’s cultural fabric.  

In this webinar, Research Director Alina Strugut and Senior Research Director Joshua Haslun will show how belief-based segmentation uncovers surprising common ground across two seemingly opposing generations in three different geographies. By analyzing chocolate perceptions in the U.S., Germany, and China, we’ll reveal how boomers and Gen Z — despite their differences — are drawn to products that align with shared emotional triggers yet differ by locality (e.g., self-care in the U.S., knowledge in Germany, social connection in China). We’ll also explore how these distinctive beliefs can be positioned to align product positioning and innovation opportunities like functional ingredients or sustainable packaging.  

The takeaway? Brands that blend global strategy with local relevance unlock new opportunities by aligning innovation with what truly matters to consumers. Understanding how beliefs shift across markets ensures R&D doesn’t just react to trends. It also fuels lasting impact worldwide.