Don't crowd your branding

Whether you have a growing business or are well-established, do not make the mistake of working against the Law of Physics;
two objects cannot occupy the same space at the same time. (With the exception of the mile high club on the new Airbus 380-
and why wouldn't you try?)
Having established a fantastic brand and are now known for what you have established, why on Earth attempt to include the
incongruous?
Great examples of companies reaching beyond and sometimes below, their brand are plentiful and here are a few indicators
why riding lesser products on your established branding does not work.
Mention Kraft and people think cheese. This amazing association with cheese should keep Kraft laughing all the way to the
bank for years!
But Kraft, figuring they had a great brand name, decided to apply it to a whole range of food. Suddenly they had a range of jam,
jelly, mayonnaise and other food stuff. We are after all in the food business!
The Bean Counters and share holders might not see it that way.
Smuckers have garnered 35% share of the Jam and Jelly market. Kraft has 9%!
Hellmans garnered 42% of the Mayonnaise market. Kraft has 18%!
Despite being a major cheese company, Kraft, surprisingly, isn't hitting the top of the charts with its other food products.
The only outstanding winner it has is called not Kraft, but a cream cheese called Philadelphia, (now the generic!) which has 75% market
share. By trying to be all things to all people, Kraft (and many others) has ended up with a great brand name, but few real
winning products!
Why you may ask? Its all in the mind and getting the punters mind right is the name of the game. Get known for what you do
best and stick with it!
Think of your family ( God bless 'em). Your cousin Fred, bone idle. Your brother Jason, so industrious. Sarah, the artist of the family.
You grew up with a mental image alongside a name, the characteristics of that person stick with you for life. One name- one
characteristic.
Punters think the same way. Mention Honda in Japan and most people conjure up a great motorcycle company. Honda in most other
countries means cars.
The punters don't make the change at all. Once your product/service has a fixed characteristic it's embedded. Whatever
you try- it does not get re-invented at least not for a long time and after many expensive media campaigns.
So, how do the successful go forward and stay there?
Everyone knows Barbie and Ken ( the great all American image. God bless 'em also) even if you dislike what they stand for. They've seen the Ninja Turtles, the Cabbage Patch dolls and every
other toy off. There is no doubt they will continue to do so. Because Barbie and Ken stand for dolls with interchangeable
clothes. Nothing more, nothing less. You know what you get and what to expect.
That's successful businesses! Occupy a niche and retain it and know how to retain it. (Retention of client we'll cover elsewhere).
Publishers, now these are my favourite people. Find a niche, create a magazine and call it Vogue. Bring out another and another one and yet
another. Each has a different name and a clearly different demographic. Have a look at the magazines. None of them are all things to all people. Each one has a
specific positioning, name and target audience.
It can be expensive launching a new brand. Most CEO's MD's take the well known tried and tested safe route,
(probably 'cause they are bean counters and not marketing people, went to same school of management and haven't a creative bone in their bodies), to extend their line.
It's not as if line extension doesn't work. It works fantastically well. Then it splutters, chokes and dies slowly. This is
because when brands are first extended, people are eager to try out new products. However, they soon tire of it and go back to
the brand that defines clearly what they're after.

If you have established a market for NEO's and other premium punters, are known and respected as having premium products and service then DON'T make the
mistake of pitching the budget market with your premium brand name.
Be known as THE PEOPLE in your niche and stay there!




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