How to take a regional brand to Almaty and Astana
Translated from Russian.
In short
A regional origin isn't something to hide — it's a ready-made identity and authenticity. The big city doesn't know your brand, and it has a mountain and a cartload of its own. So the task isn't to “become one of them” but to tell people where you came from and why you deserve attention. The dairy brand Novyi Den from Kostanay entered Almaty without media or content support — only tastings and B2B campaigns — and got 500+ sampling requests from coffee shops, cafés and restaurants.
Why a regional origin is an advantage
I've written about this before: all else being equal, the brands that stand out today are the ones doing brandformance, that is, investing in meaning. A regional brand already has meaning. Locality is a ready-made identity and authenticity that no competitor can copy.
The market is crowded with uniform brands with no story. Against that background, a brand that honestly says “we're from Kostanay” already stands out.
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What changes in communication for a big city
The big city doesn't know the local brand. It has a mountain and a cartload of brands of its own. Still, it's where the population is, a big market worth entering.
The main mistake is trying to “become one of them”: hiding your origin and imitating big-city brands. The task is different: tell people where you came from and why you deserve attention. Origin here isn't a weakness, it's an argument.
Offline and B2B: what worked for Novyi Den
When it entered Almaty, Novyi Den had no media or content support. Just two tools:
- Tastings. In three Galmart supermarkets, shoppers could try the product.
- B2B campaigns. Targeted campaigns aimed at coffee shops, cafés and restaurants in Almaty.
And a good result: 500+ sampling requests from HoReCa. Today, in many Almaty coffee shops, the milk in your cappuccino is Novyi Den. Take a look.
The takeaway: a regional brand doesn't have to go in with a big media campaign right away. Sometimes it's faster to let people try the product — shoppers in a store and the professionals who choose milk for their coffee shops.
Case study Novyi Den: how Kostanay became the foundation of the brand
Challenge. Rethink the communication of Novyi Den, a dairy brand from Kostanay, for entering the Almaty and Astana markets: define key messages, set the tone of voice for social media and create a new visual style.
Insight. A regional origin is what makes you stand out. So we didn't hide Kostanay — we made it the foundation of the communication.
What we did:
- An identity from Kostanay. The red brick of old buildings, mosaics on facades, the cozy calm of a northern city. The style came out warm, recognizable and modern.
- Meaning. A communication strategy with key messages, tone of voice and narratives, an editorial policy for the content ecosystem and the slogan “Every day is a New Day!”.
- A corporate website in the new style.
- Offline. Vehicle branding and tastings in three Galmart supermarkets.
- HoReCa. Targeted campaigns aimed at coffee shops, cafés and restaurants in Almaty.
Results. 500+ sampling requests from Almaty HoReCa, two new markets — Almaty and Astana. The brand got a coherent communication system where meaning and visuals work together, and became closer to big-city audiences without losing its local identity.
→ · Case on the TELLER website
Key points
- A regional origin is a ready-made identity and authenticity, not something to hide.
- The big city doesn't know you, and it has plenty of brands of its own.
- The task isn't to “become one of them” but to tell people where you're from and why you deserve attention.
- Tastings and B2B campaigns aimed at HoReCa can work even without media support.
- A local identity is a story no competitor can copy.
Taking a regional brand to Almaty or Astana? Message me on Telegram at @maximfetisov: I'll tell you how to turn your origin into an argument. How strategy work is organised and what it costs is on the Services page.
