Extending a Brand
Jul 14th, 2008 by S.A. Habib
My clients often ask me if they can extend their brand into various products beyond their core line. And my answer is usually the same. “You don’t get to decide, your clients do.” That’s a pretty smug answer but it makes the point.
A lawn mower manufacturer may want to add a line of sewing machines because he can source it easily. And, yes, you can slap your logo on the sewing machine and send it to market. But when it hits retail, the ultimate decision maker is the customer. He or she gets to decide if the goodness you created in the lawn mower brand will translate into sewing machines. Often, it doesn’t.
I recently read an article that did a great job of explaining this complex issue. It also addresses other topics relating to brand extensions. I’d like to know what you think.
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About the author: S. A. Habib, founder of Locomotion Creative in Nashville, Tennessee, a.k.a. The Big Brown Man. He’s big and brown, thus the title. He’s been doing smart advertising / marketing thinking for smarter clients for 30+ years. Find your center!
