Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Mr. Clean finds his feminine side
“Well, the funniest woman I ever seen
Was the great-granddaughter of Mr. Clean.”
-Bob Dylan
Was the great-granddaughter of Mr. Clean.”
-Bob Dylan
It’s great when a brand comes out of hibernation and finds there’s plenty of new ground to cover. For years (since 1958, in fact), Mr. Clean® was Mr. Muscle. He handled tough jobs like those dreaded black heal marks and greasy, grimy stovetops. But in the last few years, he’s started to extend himself with innovative products—from Mr. Clean MagicErasure™ products to Mr. Clean MagicReach™ tools to Mr. Clean MagicDry™ carwash. By the way, I bought the carwash product nearly two years ago. Unfortunately, it’s still in the box, so I can’t report on its performance.
What does Mr. Clean do in his off time? One can only guess. But based on the latest P&G brand extension, Mr. Clean Multi-Surfaces Liquid Cleaners , he might have been watching Oxygen, HGTV or Lifetime. Because these new products come in five fresh scents that according to the Mr. Clean Web site, “will leave your home and all the items in it clean and smelling great!” The scents are Ultimate Orange, Sparkling Apple, Summer Citrus, Invigorating Breeze and Spring Garden. Think household cleaner meets aromatherapy.
The point of all this? It just goes to show that brands can’t grow by being one-trick ponies anymore.
Another good example of how far you can extend a brand is Newell Rubbermaid's Sharpie® brand . They are in the midst of a brand renaissance, taking what was once a somber permanent black ink marker and raising it to a colorful, cult-like status.
What does Mr. Clean do in his off time? One can only guess. But based on the latest P&G brand extension, Mr. Clean Multi-Surfaces Liquid Cleaners , he might have been watching Oxygen, HGTV or Lifetime. Because these new products come in five fresh scents that according to the Mr. Clean Web site, “will leave your home and all the items in it clean and smelling great!” The scents are Ultimate Orange, Sparkling Apple, Summer Citrus, Invigorating Breeze and Spring Garden. Think household cleaner meets aromatherapy.
The point of all this? It just goes to show that brands can’t grow by being one-trick ponies anymore.
Another good example of how far you can extend a brand is Newell Rubbermaid's Sharpie® brand . They are in the midst of a brand renaissance, taking what was once a somber permanent black ink marker and raising it to a colorful, cult-like status.
When it comes to brand extensions, both Mr. Clean and Sharpie are good models to study.
Labels: brand, brand color, brand extension, brand personality, brand positioning, brand strategy
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
What color is your carton?
Close your eyes and picture a Tiffany and Co. gift box. Now picture a gift box from, let’s say, Zales Jewelers. Unless you just bought something there, you probably can’t recall what the Zales box looks like. That’s the power of color. Too bad so few companies take advantage of it.
Here’s one that is, however: CB2. They’re a division of Crate and Barrel, only they skew younger and hipper. Basically, they offer cool design at an affordable price. Or as they describe themselves on their Web site:
“A new destination from Crate and Barrel that dials up the fun. Smart designs, clever materials. Neat stuff, cool colors. A point of view: In the know, on the go. A ‘look what I found’ kind of place. For all the places you live. We’re one find of a store (actually two) in Chicago, and because we get constant phone calls from all over about when you’ll be able to shop on our Web site, well, here we are.”Here’s one that is, however: CB2. They’re a division of Crate and Barrel, only they skew younger and hipper. Basically, they offer cool design at an affordable price. Or as they describe themselves on their Web site:
It sounds like something their agency wrote to get the business in the first place. But it does a good job of describing the brand personality. Anyway, getting back to the color story, a package from CB2 makes a big splash on your front porch. No brown kraft shipping carton for them. They printed their carton solid chartreuse (one of three colors in their identity). Even the tape carries its own weight, imprinted with the CB2 logo in color. Bottom line: I know it’s from CB2 the moment the UPS driver takes it from the truck. What’s more, it’s a happy-looking box that makes me glad I ordered from CB2—even before I open it.
How many other Web retailers can say that about their shipping cartons? ___________________________________________________________________________________
By the way, for an in-depth look at the Tiffany and Co, brand, go to:
By the way, for an in-depth look at the Tiffany and Co, brand, go to:
"Tiffany and Company, A Case Study" by Stephanie Blackburn
Says Ms. Blackburn,
“Upon realizing the strength of its brand and the image its blue box portrays, Tiffany also plans to continue launching new product lines, taking advantage of the growing popularity of branding among jewelry consumers today.”
Says Ms. Blackburn,
“Upon realizing the strength of its brand and the image its blue box portrays, Tiffany also plans to continue launching new product lines, taking advantage of the growing popularity of branding among jewelry consumers today.”
Labels: brand, brand color, brand personality, brand positioning, brand strategy, CB2, packaging, Tiffany and Co
