learnthe4ps.com - For students of marketing.

A brand extension occurs when a firm uses an existing brand on a new product in a different category.  A poll of 11,000 Adweek readers voted from a list of 10 — and Zippo The Woman Perfume (yes the company that makes lighters that use that smelly fluid — at least that is how I remember the company) topped the list.  I didn’t know that Dr. Pepper was making a BBQ sauce and a marinade — of course 7 Up and A&W are in the same product-market.  For the whole list, see the Business Insider “See The 10 Worst Brand Extensions Currently On The Market” (February 9, 2013).

Why were these brand extensions identified as being particularly “bad”?  What are benefits to brand extensions?  What are some potential costs?  What are some examples of “good” brand extensions?

Branding is covered when we look at Product.  This article “Store Brands Give Name Brands a Run for the Money” (brandchannel, September 8, 2010) summarizes some of the findings from a new Consumer Reports study on “Store brands vs. name brands” (October 2010).

What is your experience with store brands?  Will you try them?  Do you think they quality is as good as comparable national brands?  Retailers usually make better margins on store brands — so they like to promote them.