Found
two contrasting news items in the business press last week. Two different news pertaining
to two different companies yet with one underlying theme – sheer stupidity!
The
first news item was about Blackberry’s, the clothing company. They have decided
to pull down their woman’s wear. No damn it, not in the sexual sense of the
phrase! But Blackberry’s have realized that its woman’s range – which is sold
in the same brand name as their men’s – is not doing well, and have decided to kill
its woman’s range and pull it off the market.
They
should have never launched their woman’s wear in the same name as their men’s
in the first place. Guess, I might be accused of being sexist and male
chauvinist but I am talking about the stupidity of their brand extension and in
their erroneous, and now proved fatalistic belief, in thinking the men and
woman’s wear can be sold with the same brand name. A stupidity that had
afflicted ColorPlus before with the same disastrous result. ColorPlus woman is
going down too. Women, pardon the pun please!
And
about the other news item, Cavinkare has decided to launch a new brand of confectionery called Funfills. No problem with that. Only that, it is to be
called Chinnis’ Funfills.
What
is Chinnis?
Yup,
masalas! A range of masalas – for the South Indian kitchens.
And
what is it now? Chinnis Funfills.
Excuse
me, but can someone tell me if they will ever buy Aachi Chocolates, MTR
Chicklets, Sakthi Lollipops, MDH Mints or Everest Éclairs?
So
why would anyone buy Chinnis Funfills? Except if you are part of Cavinkare’s marketing department; who then would have to take every goddamn
piece back from the market when it, and it will, fail and have to eat their own confectionery, their own words and their own stupid branding strategy.
10 comments:
Real nice piece sir, reminds me of your class... to be specific, the class on brand extension; it was like a day of revelation for us!
I Remember noting down(can even remember which side of my notebook i wrote this down on!!!!):
Brand extension doesn't work except in 3 cases:
1. when all your competitors have extended.
2. when you have pedigree (eg:tata; remember even that!).
3. when you are the only brand in the category(eg: j & j)
Miss your classes so much!! Sir, Please keep updating your blog...It actually is literally like listening to you in class! Hoping to see regular updates from you
Anu
Hello Sir,
Nice read, my views on the article.
1. With clothing lines used as identification and recognition platforms, Unisex clothing is a product error in itself. I cannot recall even one successful international brand that has succeeded using unisex dressing lines.
2. I have been looking at the second case indepth for sometime now, how important do you think the brand is, in an impulse purchase?
@ the bull's eye again...!!!
@ the bull's eye once again...!!!
Why on earth they screw up the brands this way??? Kotler, AL Ries and now Satheesh Krishnamurthy..c'mon guyz wake up!
Good to see you back sir..cool post
What a pleasure to read your post.....4 years after your classes and still you manage to keep my interest intact and eyes wide open right from the first word to the last word...
Sometimes I really wonder , you scream right from the rooftops ( no pun intended) that brand extensions do not work and they cannot work but I wonder why we still see them happening now and again...Don't marketers ever learn from their mistakes? Don't people want to save their brand and their money....I really wonder....
Reminds me of the last time I was at the Indian store out here in Germany....was planning to pick up a ready-to-eat food...and was just scrolling the shelves and saw this brand "Shaani"...You are a Tamilian at heart and u know very well what this means in Tamil...And I never bothered to even try buying it....just because it was called by this name....
I really don't know this brand too much and this is the first time I am seeing it but it reminded me of your blog on the Brand name...Name does really make a difference! it did in my case
Whatever, I hope you continue writing and writing because believe me I look forward to them.....They are like my marketing guide and reminds me of your classes
sir, i am just curious, if blackberry cant achieve in clothing segment with the same name for men and women, how come Jockey can lead the market with same name and that too inners segment of men and women clothing business?
that anonymous post just one min back was sent by me, Ramesh, ur student from IIPM.
surender krishnan : unfortunately, we missed advertising and brand management.. plz teach us also rural marketing.. bcoz, country like india 70percent consist of rural areas.. so, i guess future marketers should enter this segment.. plz do write blogs often sir..
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