|
Brand repositioning is necessary when one or more of the
following conditions exist:
- Your brand has a bad, confusing or nonexistent image.
- The primary benefit your brand “owns” has evolved from a differentiating
benefit to a cost-of-entry benefit.
- Your organization is significantly altering its strategic direction.
- Your organization is entering new businesses and the current positioning is
no longer appropriate.
- A new competitor with a superior value proposition enters your
industry. Competition has usurped your brand’s position or rendered it ineffectual.
- Your organization has acquired a very powerful proprietary advantage that
must be worked into the brand positioning.
- Corporate culture renewal dictates at least a revision of the brand personality
- You are broadening your brand to appeal to additional consumers or consumer
need segments for whom the current brand positioning won’t work. (This should
be a “red flag .” This action could dilute the brand’s meaning,
make the brand less appealing to current customers or even alienate current customers.)
Successful Brand Extensions — Some Examples
-
Jell-o (pudding, pudding snacks)
- Crayola (markers, pens and paints)
- Dole (pineapple juice, fruit juice, fruit
salad, fruit juice frozen fruit bars)
- Ivory (soap, dishwashing liquid, gentle
care detergent)
- Woolite (fabric wash, carpet cleaner spray)
- Arm & Hammer (toothpaste)
Question: For each brand, what was the transferable core brand association that made a successful extension possible?
Unsuccessful Brand Extensions — Some Examples
- Bic perfume (leveraging the “small disposable pocket items” association???)
- Levi’s tailored classic suits — What is Levi’s primary association?
(casual clothes)
- Campbell spaghetti sauce — Why didn’t “tomato sauce” transfer from Campbell’s
soups to spaghetti sauce?
- McDonald’s Arch Deluxe (for adults) — What is McDonald’s primary association?
(fast-food for kids)
- Bayer “Aspirin-free” — What is Bayer’s primary association? (aspirin)
- Volvo 850 GLT sports sedan — What is Volvo’s primary association? (safety)
What is a primary proof point? (boxy armored car styling)
- Or, my all time favorite, New Coke (What is Coke? “It’s the real thing” with
its long-time secret formula.)
The Most Common Brand Extension Problems
-
Extending into a category in which the brand adds nothing but its identity
(its products or services are not significantly different from current products
or services in the category)
- Extending through opportunistic brand licensing without regard to impact
upon the brand
- Extending into lower (and, sometimes higher) quality segments
- Not fully
understanding brand benefit ownership, transfer or importance
Brad VanAuken is president and founder of BrandForward, Inc., a full-service brand management consultancy with clients throughout the world. Previously, Brad was the vice president of marketing for Element K, a leading e-learning company and director of brand management and marketing for Hallmark Cards, Inc. During his tenure as Hallmark’s chief brand advocate, Hallmark received the Brand Management of the Year award. Recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on brand management and marketing, Brad is a much sought after speaker and writer. He wrote the books The Brand Management Checklist and Brand Aid. His free online brand management and marketing newsletter is read by thousands of marketers throughout the world. Brad has a BS degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Email:
vanauken@brandforward.com
Company Profile:
BrandForward, Inc.
Company URL:
Back to Columns page
| 
