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A while back I wrote a post called ‘Should Ink Stink’ which basically questioned Mont Blanc’s strategy to diversify into aftershave.
Despite my slightly pessimistic view of their new product, I have to say I am a huge believer in brand diversification and certainly don’t subscribe to the view you should only develop products that are linked to your core area of expertise and/or awareness.
For me, it’s always about entering areas that you find interesting, that you know you can make a real impression in and that links to your companies values and philosophy … which is possibly why Yamaha can happily make products as diverse as motorbikes and concert piano’s and still be highly credible and desirable in both.
Can you imagine if LG made a car?
Hell, can you imagine if LG made a bloody mobile phone that worked for longer than 4 months and had a bit of substance about it rather than their over-reliance on style.
Korean style.
Anyway I digress …
So recently I was in Tokyo and I came across something a bit weird.
Of course Japan is the home of the weird … but this was seriously strange and I mean more in a Mont Blanc aftershave kinda way, rather than a Yamaha musical instrument kinda way …
Yep, Chuppa Chups bath ‘powder’.
Chuppa Chups GRAPE bath powder.
GRAPE???
Who the fuck wants to bathe in grape flavoured water?
Actually scrub that, who the fuck wants to bathe in purple coloured water?
People with lots of bruises who find the sight of them disturbing?
WTF!
I should point out I wasn’t in a kids shop [though I accept it could be for children] however it just confuses the hell out of me.
Even if this is a licensed product, what were Chuppa Chups thinking by agreeing to it?
Maybe I’m missing something but I really find this mental so if you can see the benefit of this as a product line, please let me know because at this point it just smacks of another moment of marketing/licensing madness and by god, we have enough of that shit with Ferrari and Ducati.
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underneath this overlong, planning porn post, theres a very fucking interesting issue to be found and if anyone finds it let me know because i cant be fucking arsed to look because im too busy inventing sherbet dib dab cocaine.
Comment by andy@cynic February 4, 2010 @ 7:03 amOh come on Andy, it’s shorter than the previous 2 days posts, has a point [sort of], doesn’t mention the words “planning” or “insight”, slags off LG, talks about Chuppa Chups and shoe-horns a business issue/opportunity relating to brand evolution and product development … what’s not to like?
And that last bit was rhetorical … I know you could find more faults than a diamond evaluator.
Comment by Rob February 4, 2010 @ 7:39 amBazza, can you read this paragraph:
“For me, it’s always about entering areas that you find interesting, that you know you can make a real impression in and that links to your companies values and philosophy … which is possibly why Yamaha can happily make products as diverse as motorbikes and concert piano’s and still be highly credible and desirable in both.”
Now can you please tell your boss it’s OK to develop some products that are more than just minimised and maximised iPod/iPhones. LOL.
Comment by Pete February 4, 2010 @ 8:03 am“Who the fuck wants to bathe in grape flavoured water?” hilarious!
I cannot give you an answer to why this exists.
But I did find a related product extension…
http://tinyurl.com/y9h9eg7
Scroll down a bit and you’ll see more Chupa bath time product: “last year sales rose to more than one million”
:-/
Comment by mccannmelb February 4, 2010 @ 8:08 amInteresting how you assume that the product attributes translate exactly between original and extension. Semioticians would have a field day with that.
Me? I’ll just believe that you have a unique tendency to drink bath water and say that it’s probably just grape-coloured.
Comment by John February 4, 2010 @ 8:24 amCareful John, you’re sounding awfully like an Aussie insinuating anyone with Brit blood is a soap dodger. Saying that, I laughed out loud so I can let you off especially as you’ve been living in your black bath ring filth for even longer than me.
As for thinking product extentions must contain the same fundamental attributes as the ‘motherbrand’ … didn’t you read what I said … I go on about sharing the same brand values and philosophy rather than a duplication of their brands rational product componants but in the case of Chuppa Chup grape bath salts, I think they were the ones that have tried to indicate a commonality with the lollipop before I did.
Yes, I’m confused with what I’m trying to whinge about as well. Can I blame it on the jetlag or the trauma of 48 hours with Andy?
Comment by Rob February 4, 2010 @ 8:45 amOf course I didnt read it. And while I think it’s a bizarre approach, aren’t they ding what you advocate? I imagine the values they’re stamping on the extension is simply fun and that’s it. Nothing rational.
Getting kids to recognise the name and pester their parents is not about pushing values; they’re relying on users to bring their existing feel for Chuppa Chup into the store. No?
Comment by John February 4, 2010 @ 6:47 pmSo many arguments are ruined by some bloody fool who knows what he’s talking about.
Thanks a bloody lot Mr Dodds. No seriously, thanks.
Comment by Rob February 4, 2010 @ 7:02 pmare we supposed to care? youre going to be fucking disappointed then.
Comment by andy@cynic February 4, 2010 @ 11:00 amDon’t worry Andy – I’m used to being disappointed by you, been like that for at least 15 years. At least you’re consistent. Ha!
Comment by Rob February 4, 2010 @ 11:43 amDidn’t you sell blackcurrant tango flavoured donuts?
Comment by DH February 4, 2010 @ 2:11 pmYes … but it wasn’t a brand extention, it was because the sample size cans were late for delivery and the campaign was about to start.
It was called ingenius improvisation … though everyone else just called it improvisation.
Bastards.
Comment by Rob February 4, 2010 @ 3:58 pmi dont know japanese but the bottom right warning icon suggest its not for eating…holy fuck! its not for eating..that took a while. Being ‘Japanese’ I thought it was bath watered flavoured candy..(should pitch that)
if i was a kid, (hell even know as an ‘adult’) and i saw that in the bath room i would take a mouthful, even if it was powdered form (why is there a lolipop image on the pack)
Comment by Jacob February 4, 2010 @ 4:21 pmI prefer Chupa chups bubble bath to Radox lollipops…
Comment by Rob Mortimer February 4, 2010 @ 6:45 pmExcellent point Mr M …
Comment by Rob February 4, 2010 @ 6:54 pmif you have a kid, you ll probably have a hard time stopping it from trying the bath water. i bet due to a heavy dose of chemistry the bath water smells exactly like the lollipop tastes… its mean (because it does not taste like the lollipop for sure haha), because the sugary teeth ruiner made it in the bathroom where the kids spend quite a while each day… it seems naomis nightmare continues lol
and i always found radox is a very strange name for shower gel etc.
Comment by peggy February 4, 2010 @ 8:37 pmthey should do pineapple flavour so the little fuckers can piss in the bath without mummy getting in one of her fucking moods.
Comment by andy@cynic February 4, 2010 @ 8:54 pmor strawberry flavour for kids with bladder infections.
Comment by andy@cynic February 4, 2010 @ 9:07 pmi just had a rethink and now agree with the title of this post. the first bit, at least 🙂
Comment by peggy February 4, 2010 @ 9:11 pmI had the pleasure of advising a hair straightener brand they were mad consider kids toys, clothes and perfumes once upon a time.
Comment by northern February 5, 2010 @ 12:26 ambrand hubris can be very funny