We’re back for part two of our series on brand diversification. In part one, we talked about the value of brand extensions and discussed a few off-the-wall extensions from brands like Tesla and KFC.
This episode, we’re deep diving into the concept of brand dilution.
Brand dilution occurs when brands push a bit too far when introducing a new product or category.
Dilution occurs when the extension unintentionally disrupts the original perception of a brand.
Brand Dilution Examples
DC/WB with Batman
Used too many times, and I think we’re getting fatigue. How many movies, video games, and animation series have we seen in the last 10 years?
- Chasing the success of Christopher Nolan’s trilogy. (I only liked Begins and TDK.)
- Batfleck (he’s back!)
- Casting of new Batman films (not a fan so far)
- Placing Batman in three films
- Animation series produced (I loved the Batman Animated)
- Games – over 40+ video games made!
Star Wars
[In 2019]: “I just think that we might’ve put a little bit too much in the marketplace too fast.”
Disney CEO, Bob Iger, told the New York Times
Sony – Playstation
What is Sony known for? Most would answer Playstation or video game consoles.
Sony has a long history of being an electronics company, but since entering the video game market, they’ve transformed their brand. Is this an example of a successful brand extension or a brand dilution?
Other Brands that had success at diversification (brand extension) and failure (brand dilution) that we discuss:
- Amazon Fire Phone
- Harley Davidson Perfume
- Cadbury’s Instant Potatoes
- Crystal Pepsi
- Virgin Water Filtration System
- Dr Pepper BBQ Sauce
- Coca-Cola Clothing
- Windows Phone
Thank you for listening, and you can check out all podcast episodes at https://nerdbrandagency.com/podcast.
Keep your NerdBrand Strong!
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