tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10118571.post-86458247541411431302008-04-10T00:48:00.000-07:002008-04-11T13:00:09.444-07:00Line Extensions Part II - TigerAde?<DIV>I'm currently on vacation, been doing some traveling. Stopped in to get something to drink and got confused trying to buy Gatorade.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now, if you have been reading my blog lately you might be thinking that I'm easily confused. Last time it was the A1 steak sauce, this time it is trying to buy Gatorade.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>But in my own defense, let me explain. I'm in marketing. It is what I do and I do it all the time. When I'm watch TV, read a magazine, stand at the pump, or go to the grocery store, I'm always analyzing, looking, learning, and judging the effectiveness of the advertising that I'm subjected to.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And one of the things I do when confronted with a new ad or look, is make myself go ignorant. I block out my knowledge and pretend that I'm just a normal person attempting to make a buying decision and then I analyze my own thought process as if I was watching a test subject for an ad campaign.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And most times I get to see the confusing world through the eyes of someone who just wants to buy something without thinking about it.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Now, back to my confusion with Gatorade.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>When I opened the cooler door in the mini-mart, I found myself, as usual, confronted with a wide variety of colors of Gatorade. This is a smart move on Gatorade's part. Marketing research clearly shows that color is a major factor in brand awareness. I like Orange and began to reach for the Orange container and then I stopped.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>I had three orange containers...Gatorade, G2, and Tiger...Tiger? What was Tiger Woods doing on the label Gatorade? My first thought was that Gatorade had changed their name to Tigerade. </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>The G2 I just brushed off as a short lived attempt to extend to a new market that was prone to failure. But I was suddenly confused about what orange I should buy...Gatorade or Tigerade? After a few seconds I pulled the Gatorade and made my purchase.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV><STRONG>Unintended consequences</STRONG></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>As I drove away I realized that Gatorade has not consciously decided to change their brand to Tigerade. They have done a line extension of Gatorade to take advantage of Tiger's brand...but if they aren't careful, they very well could lose their own brand to the new Tiger Gatorade. Many people, just like me, will not understand the difference and will be forced to make a choice. Gatorade or Tiger Gatorade. At first they will be like me and choose the familiar, but over time, the Tiger brand of Gatorade will possibly take over the bigger brand.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>And it won't make people drink more. I'm not going to drink more Gatorade because Tiger is on the label. And I doubt large numbers of people will begin to buy more Gatorade because Tiger is on the label. But what will happen is that people will being to purchase LESS traditional Gatorade because Tiger is on the label. The Tiger brand will rob from the original brand, not from other products. This is the law of unintended consequences.</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV>Richard Blisshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06711443052326619281noreply@blogger.com