hese companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new prod

The age-old “branding” discussions always comes back to haunt us, don’t they? Surely, you would have encountered this argument countless times as you argue with clients about creating new brand campaigns. The clients’ view “I have a strong, reputable brand. This new product will sell really well based on my trusted brand.”

Usually, when such discussions arise, it is because of the lack of understanding, or even misunderstanding of what a brand really is. Some people think that the product is the brand. Others believe that it is the “persona” of the brand that becomes the brand. Yet others argue that a brand is nothing more than the corporate vision or promise made tangible.

Surprisingly, all the above are correct! Here lies the crux of it all. Marketers would do well to remember this before they get caught up in any such arguments. The key to it all is to understand this:

“A BRAND is what you make it to be.”

Think about this for a moment. Then jump back into that argument with your client. If your entire advertising, PR and promotions campaign has been geared towards selling a PRODUCT, what then does your brand represent? I would hazard a guess and say that at the end, when the advertising “dust” settles, what consumers will be left with would be a vivid memory of your wonderful product. It could be that gloriously luxurious LUX soap, or maybe even that oh, so satisfying “real thing”; but it would be the product.

On the other hand, if your entire marketing campaign has been focused on your “brand persona”, if all you have been doing were “lifestyle” advertising, PR coverage on relevant social tid-bits, promotions that are cool, or hip, or whatever; your brand represents the persona more than the product.

I believe by now, you know where I am coming from. Now to answer that question: “Can You Leverage Your Famous Brand To Launch New Products?”

It does get easier to answer that question now, doesn’t it?

If your brand has been so totally product focused, if your brand is your product, then the very simple (maybe too simplistic) answer would be “No!”.

If your brand has been focused on the “persona”, then the answer would be more ambiguous. If the new product is congruous with your persona, then its a definite “Yes!”. If not, then it has to be explored whether or not that persona can be extended.

Companies spend years and millions of dollars to build their brand. Sometimes, they do it so well that they are trapped by its very success. To “Xerox” the document, to get a “Polariod” and to get some “Coke”. That photocopier could be a Minolta, a Canon, a Brother, or whatever; it matters not. That “Coke” could just be any cola if the “real thing” is not available. Great. Problem here is these companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new prod

rprisingly, all the above are correct! Here lies the crux of it all. Marketers would do well to remember this before they get caught up in any such arguments. The key to it all is to understand this:

“A BRAND is what you make it to be.”

Think about this for a moment. Then jump back into that argument with your client. If your entire advertising, PR and promotions campaign has been geared towards selling a PRODUCT, what then does your brand represent? I would hazard a guess and say that at the end, when the advertising “dust” settles, what consumers will be left with would be a vivid memory of your wonderful product. It could be that gloriously luxurious LUX soap, or maybe even that oh, so satisfying “real thing”; but it would be the product.

On the other hand, if your entire marketing campaign has been focused on your “brand persona”, if all you have been doing were “lifestyle” advertising, PR coverage on relevant social tid-bits, promotions that are cool, or hip, or whatever; your brand represents the persona more than the product.

I believe by now, you know where I am coming from. Now to answer that question: “Can You Leverage Your Famous Brand To Launch New Products?”

It does get easier to answer that question now, doesn’t it?

If your brand has been so totally product focused, if your brand is your product, then the very simple (maybe too simplistic) answer would be “No!”.

If your brand has been focused on the “persona”, then the answer would be more ambiguous. If the new product is congruous with your persona, then its a definite “Yes!”. If not, then it has to be explored whether or not that persona can be extended.

Companies spend years and millions of dollars to build their brand. Sometimes, they do it so well that they are trapped by its very success. To “Xerox” the document, to get a “Polariod” and to get some “Coke”. That photocopier could be a Minolta, a Canon, a Brother, or whatever; it matters not. That “Coke” could just be any cola if the “real thing” is not available. Great. Problem here is these companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new prod

that oh, so satisfying “real thing”; but it would be the product.

On the other hand, if your entire marketing campaign has been focused on your “brand persona”, if all you have been doing were “lifestyle” advertising, PR coverage on relevant social tid-bits, promotions that are cool, or hip, or whatever; your brand represents the persona more than the product.

I believe by now, you know where I am coming from. Now to answer that question: “Can You Leverage Your Famous Brand To Launch New Products?”

It does get easier to answer that question now, doesn’t it?

If your brand has been so totally product focused, if your brand is your product, then the very simple (maybe too simplistic) answer would be “No!”.

If your brand has been focused on the “persona”, then the answer would be more ambiguous. If the new product is congruous with your persona, then its a definite “Yes!”. If not, then it has to be explored whether or not that persona can be extended.

Companies spend years and millions of dollars to build their brand. Sometimes, they do it so well that they are trapped by its very success. To “Xerox” the document, to get a “Polariod” and to get some “Coke”. That photocopier could be a Minolta, a Canon, a Brother, or whatever; it matters not. That “Coke” could just be any cola if the “real thing” is not available. Great. Problem here is these companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new prod

e too simplistic) answer would be “No!”.

If your brand has been focused on the “persona”, then the answer would be more ambiguous. If the new product is congruous with your persona, then its a definite “Yes!”. If not, then it has to be explored whether or not that persona can be extended.

Companies spend years and millions of dollars to build their brand. Sometimes, they do it so well that they are trapped by its very success. To “Xerox” the document, to get a “Polariod” and to get some “Coke”. That photocopier could be a Minolta, a Canon, a Brother, or whatever; it matters not. That “Coke” could just be any cola if the “real thing” is not available. Great. Problem here is these companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new prod

hese companies will find it very difficult to launch a new product if it is not exactly the same product!

Some companies think that their marketing agency is trying to rip them off by proposing a whole new brand and an entirely separate marketing campaign for new products. What many of them do not understand is, their “strong” brand might actually be the ball-and-chain and not the mighty rocket for their new product.

Then again, some marketing agencies do try to pull a fast one by proliferating multiple brands based on the simplistic arguments about “segmentation” and “target markets”.

So, the answer to the question, can only be, “I have absolutely no idea, what new product are you talking about?”