llaollao MY speaks up about copycat buzz: 'It creates confusion among consumers'

Oscar Wilde once said: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness." In response to the latest hullabaloo online about a froyo copycat surfacing in Malaysia, Tan Kai Young, director of llaollao Malaysia's franchisee Woodpeckers Group, told A+M that the company is flattered that its hard work and culture of excellence has been recognised by others, including its competitors. 

Just last week, a new froyo store named ll.la.lo launched in Jalan Ampang. Netizens pointed out that this was a copycat of llaollao and some even called out the brand for being lazy when it came to creating a brand name. Pictures on its Facebook page also showed that the spoons used by ll.la.lo were similar in design. Llaollao's initial response was a meme of Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Instead, Smith represented llaollao while Rock was named "copycat".

Tan told A+M:

We always welcome healthy competition as it pushes us to keep improving. We find it unfair, as it also creates confusion among consumers, which we hope to address through our social media.

"We have invested our lives into growing llaollao as a brand since it arrived in Malaysia seven years ago, and we are proud that our hard work and dedication has made it into the brand that Malaysian love today," he added. A+M has yet to receive a response from ll.la.lo at the time of writing.

According to statistics from Meltwater between 22 to 30 March, social chatter surrounding jumped on 29 March and is still on the rise today. Some of the trending keywords were "new froyo store name", "texture really that", "llao llao", "tutti fruity". Most of the sentiments were neutral (71%) while 13% were positive and negative respectively. According to Meltwater, most of the positive content was around how llaollao responded to the situation.

https://twitter.com/beckiy6/status/1509034835700252674
https://twitter.com/justinjarret/status/1509047180882980867
https://twitter.com/harrisnshriq/status/1509020768445005824
https://twitter.com/kathleenwhonow/status/1508991593189355525

Currently, there are 70 llaollao outlets in Malaysia and Tan said the company will continue to diversify its product offerings and campaign activities to meet the high expectations and demands of its consumers. Having spent seven years in Malaysia, Tan said llaollao's consumers have set "a high bar for us to achieve" and it relishes this challenge. Tan expects 2022 to be a busy year for llaollao Malaysia, with the opening of 30 new stores. The brand will also introduce its first-ever flagship store in Malaysia by the third quarter.

Like most brands, digital is also key focus for llaollao's growth and it remains committed to channelling its efforts into its loyalty programme, Myllaollaoclub, eCommerce, and omnichannel marketing. According to Tan, the ultimate goal is to create an ecosystem in which it can engage and enrich the experiences of its consumers in the digital age. 

Its top priority for this year would be to enhance customer-centricity. "Our consumers should feel important and loved after interacting with our brand. This includes implementing new training programmes aimed at improving customer service and satisfaction. We strive to provide a better experience to every single customer," Tan said.

Related articles:
llaollao MY trendjacks Oscars meme in response to new froyo store bearing similar name
D+1 Holding hits back to defend Yolé, details llaollao franchise dispute
Llaollao on the hunt for agencies and partners for Singapore return
Llaollao to return to Singapore, calls out new brand Yolé
Llaollao discontinued due to 'menu exhaustion', says franchisee D+1 Holdings
Llaollao exits Singapore, replaced by Yole