BreadTalk signals regional ad plans

The campaign -- developed by J. Walter Thompson -- comes as BreadTalk eyes expansion into Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia and the Middle East through direct investment, joint-ventures and franchising. Norman Tan, Southeast Asia regional creative director at JWT, said: "We're talking about designer bread, not household white bread. It's not cheap and the price is higher than that of most household breads (at roughly S$1.50 to $2 per piece). But it's beautifully done and well-designed. It's like art." The television push is based on the universal 'Language of taste' theme and shows people of various nationalities trying to talk with bread in their mouth. The characters speak in Italian, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin and English, and although their speech is incoherent from the expressions on their faces it's clear that they enjoy the bread. The same faces will appear in print ads and posters near BreadTalk outlets, which in the past have relied solely on word-of-mouth promotions. The campaign kicks off in Singapore, but is expected to run for three years across markets which include Hong Kong, where BreadTalk is expected to launch this year. "The campaign (marks) its fifth anniversary. It also wants to attract franchising opportunities. In Indonesia, it attracted 100 or so applicants, but the company is choosy and wants only people with creativity to be part of it," said Tan. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur's competitive bakery sectors -- increasingly fragmented because of relatively low barriers of entry -- have seen BreadTalk and rival brands, which bake on-site to produce a warm, inviting atmosphere, reinvent products and compete for prime locations in key cities. The bread boutiques have also sparked a pricing battle. Rather than engage in a price battle, Bread-Talk has been sharpening the bread-buying experience through its 'open' concept stores and quirky product names such as 'Crouching tiger, hidden bacon'.