Mantra and Jennifer Rice on Branding

Through Laura Ries’ blog I just learned about Mantra consulting and Jennifer Rice’s blog on branding. I am excited to learn about another great thinker on branding. Specifically I like this recent post on the brands blog:

What’s Your Brand Mantra?

…The issue of focus versus flexibility in a brand can depend on a couple factors:

1) How new is the brand? Here’s where I completely agree with Laura: new brands should tightly focus. Pick one problem that needs solving and build a reputation for solving it. Netflix solved convenient movie rental. Google solved fast, accurate search. Apple offered a cool new way to compute.

As the brand becomes well-known, it may earn the right to extend its products and services. Sometimes age translates into trust; older brands are familiar and usually within our comfort zone..

So yes I am saying that I agree that there are SOME brands where brand extensions DO work. Some. If you bring this up with me over a beer then you have to pick up the tab. Rarely. Rarely do brand extensions work.

And speaking of brand extensions, have you tried to buy a toothbrush lately? It has gotten to the point where "will it fit in my the toothbrush holder attached to the wall?" is my primary criteria.