Brand extension is a technique that uses the brand equity of one product to leverage another brand in a different category. This effective technique allows the company to build an entire line of products based on one brand name. However, some brand extension projects are not successful. This research will explore the brand extension of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream in to a line of gourmet cheeses and cheese products.
In order for a brand extension to be successful, the parent brand must first be successful (Meyvis, Goldsmith, & Dhar, 2012). The customer will base their perceptions of the extension based on the quality and their experiences with the original brand. When the parent brand is high quality, using pictures creates a more concrete image in the customer’s mind (Meyvis, Goldsmith, & Dhar, 2012). Ben & Jerry’s is product that already has a fan following. They are able to charge a premium price for their ice cream products based on quality, the uniqueness of their flavors, and catchy brand advertising. A brand extension into cheeses would allow them to capitalize on the reputation of their ice creams.
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One thing to keep in mind is that the brand must be related enough to the original product that the customer sees you as an expert in already. Chlorox, the makers of bleach, came out with an entire line of other cleaning products based off the Chlorox brand. They were already established as experts in the line of cleaning (Klara, 2013). However, Zippo, the lighter company, came out with a perfume. This did not go over so well (Klara, 2013). People were doubtful that a lighter company knew how to formulate a perfume. They may have been afraid it would be flammable. This demonstrates that one cannot go too far away from the product that made the company famous. The customer has to feel that the company is an expert in the new field, because it is related to the original one.
A brand that first well into the original brand perception is called a high fit extension. One that is farther removed from the original product. A low fit extension is farther from the parent brand. HaeEun, Park, Eisengerich, & MacInnis (2014) found that sometimes a low fit brand extension can enhance the original brand, but only if the original brand had a high brand reputation among consumers. High fit brand extensions increase the consumer’s confidence in the original brand. The brand extension of Ben & Jerry’s Gourmet Cheeses is a high-fit brand extension. One can easily see the same creative packaging applied to unusual cheese flavor combination with creative names.
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Creams have an almost cult-like fan following who cannot wait to see what flavors they will develop next. These fans would more than likely purchase Ben & Jerry’s Gourmet Cheeses without thinking, particularly if the brand packaging was similar to that which is used on the ice cream products. According to the theories of HaeEun, Park, Eisengerich, & MacInnis (2014), this brand extension would likely have a positive effect on the original Ben & Jerry’s ice cream brands. Customers who had not tried the ice cream would be likely to try it.
The development of Ben & Jerry’s Gourmet Cheeses is an easy leap from the consumer and the manufacturing perspective. Both the original and extended brands are in the milk and dairy category. The consumer does not have to make that much of a mental leap from ice cream to cheese. The surprise factor would be in the different flavors that could be developed. Ben & Jerry’s built their first ice cream brand on the idea of fun and adventure. Their original flavors challenge the consumer to change the way they think about ice cream flavors. Many of their names give the consumer no clue as to what to expect from the flavor. They do have some relatively familiar flavors such as Chocolate Fudge Brownie or Bohemian Raspberry. Consumers are less likely to be able to imagine the flavor of ice cream that is called Mother of Dragon, OccuPie Wallstreet, or Dude Food. This same concept could easily be extended into a line of cheeses.
Ben & Jerry’s is a brand that is associated with fun and good times. They appeal to the intellectual crowd who will get some of the more obscure jokes on the packages. Their customer base is higher on the financial scale. One could easily see the cheese brands associated with barbeques and fun events. The marketing campaign could feature a main course, such as cheeseburgers on the grill, followed by Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as a dessert. Ice cream and cheese are complementary in terms of the ability of one brand to enhance the other.
The brand extension of Ben & Jerry’s into a line of cheeses is a high fit brand that would utilize cross marketing to drive sales of the original ice cream brands. Ben & Jerry’s knows their consumer well and could use this knowledge to build a line of cheeses that has the same appeal as their ice cream. Their strategy has been to play on the curiosity of the consumers and then deliver a quality product that will get them hooked. This same brand strategy would be likely to be successful with the introduction of Ben & Jerry’s Gourmet Cheeses as well.
It is likely that this high fit brand extension would have an immediate sense of trust among loyal fans of Ben & Jerry’s. The cheese could capture a part of the market which is not currently accessible to the ice cream brand, such as those on a diet or who wish to avoid sugary sweets. Cheese is considered a healthy and nutritious food that is considered a staple, as opposed to ice cream, which is only recommended in limited quantity. Ben & Jerry’s Gourmet Cheeses is a way for Ben & Jerry’s to break into a more health conscious segment of the market. This idea could even be extended further into healthy snacks such as granola bars or cereals. This brand extension has the potential to be developed far into the future. This would allow them to capture a market segment that is currently not accessible to them with their current product line.
- HaeEun, H., Park, C., Eisengerich, A. & MacInnis, D. (2014). Strategic Benefits of Low Fit Brand Extensions: When and Why? Journal of Consumer Psychology. Retrieved from http://www.journals.elsevier.com
- Klara, R. (2013, February 4). The Best (and Worst Brand Extensions. AdWeek. Retrieved from http://www.adweek.com
- Meyvis, T., Goldsmith K. & Dhar, R. (2012). The Importance of the Context in Brand Extension: How pictures and Comparisons Focus from Fit To Quality. Journal of Marketing Research. 49 (2): 206-217.
