Stretching the Brand offers practical and actionable advice on how to extend successful brands into new areas without losing sight of the value of the original brand itself. Examples of brand stretching include Dove soap, which has now been extended to the shampoo and deodorant markets.

Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. Brand stretch – or brand ego trip? Extension advantages. So why does the success rate suck? Virgin: The biggest ever brand ego trip? Shotgun weddings. Quitting the brand ego trip. Brand added value. Dove: Brand added value in action. The Brand Stretch workout. Key takeouts. Checklist 1: Brand Stretch – or brand ego trip? 2. Step One: Strengthen the core. In shape to stretch? The heart of a healthy brand. Anchoring the core range. Bud and Bud Light: Sun and planets. Risky business. Tango: Taking the eye off the orange ball. Key takeouts. Checklist 2: Strengthen the core. 3. Step Two: Vision. GPS for brands 30 The masterbrand challenges. Less myopic marketing. Blockbuster: Out of the video box. Climbing the brand ladder. Pampers: From bottoms to babies. Axe: Ladders and snakes. Elastic brands. Key takeouts. Checklist 3: Vision. 4. Step Three: Ideas. Start close to home. Moving out. Innovation shortcuts. The fairytale world of innovation. Starbucks’ Frappuccino: Real world innovation. Innokill survival kit. Key takeouts. Checklist 4: Ideas. 5. Step Four: Focus. Meet the seven dwarves. Heroes or zeroes? Bertolli: Virtual venture capital. Dimension one: Brand vision building. Dimension two: Show me the money. The easyGroup story: Murder on the balance sheet. easyGroup summary. Alternatives to going it alone. Key takeouts. Checklist 5: Focus. 6. Step Five: Delivery. Underestimating execution. Nescafé Hot When You Want: Not so hot execution. Brand damage. Brand and deliver. The Apple iPod: White hot execution. Delivering the promise. Key takeouts. Checklist 6: Delivery. 7. Step Six: Brand architecture. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Architecture for brands. Houses versus streets. Mono-platform brands. Multi-platform brands. Lego: Building blocks of a new future. When the rubber hits the road. Comfort: Designing a turnaround. Let’s go round again. Key takeouts. Checklist 7: Brand architecture. Appendix 1: Masterbrand positioning tips and tricks. Appendix 2: Example masterbrand positioning tool. Appendix 3: Masterbrand positioning tool template. References. Index.

Having spent billions of dollars on creating, building and defending strong brands, it’s payback time. These brands need to give birth to some beautiful and profitable offspring. Enter the world of brand stretch … a red-hot issue for brand teams and boardrooms alike. Done well, brand extension has the potential to create explosive growth for your business. However, the overcrowded extension graveyard shows just how hard it is to stretch successfully. This book provides practical help on both the method and the mindset needed to boost your chances of winning, illustrated with cases on Dove, Bacardi, Virgin, Starbucks, easyGroup, Budweiser and many others. "David Taylor's latest book offers a powerful combination of well-researched case studies and practical tips for today's managers. In a world where the ability to stretch your brands further is a key source of competitive advantage, Taylor's advice is required reading."—Andrew Harrison, Marketing Director, Nestlé Rowntree "Taylor cuts through the jungle of jargon and overly-theoretical models that have made up th e thin king on brand extension up to now. Brand Stretch is less a textbook and more a handbook for growth that teams can use day to day."—Adam Morgan, author of Eating the Big Fish and founder of eatbigfish, London, UK "Insightful and impactful, the principles in Brand Stretch can help you win in the marketplace."—Maurice Doyle, Commercial Director, Bacardi-Martini UK "A comprehensive list of suggestions to assist in the success of companies looking to extend their brands."—Cliff Burrows, Managing Director, Starbucks Coffee Company (UK) Ltd "David Taylor provides a well-grounded, cohesive approach to leveraging your brand's strengths. Brand Stretch is a practical and creative resource for marketers looking to maximize brand value."—Kevin Lane Keller, E. B. Osborn Professor of Marketing, Amos Tuck School of Business, USA

“This is essentially a useful guide for brand managers in organisations without long-term wisdom.” (Brand Strategy, May 2004) “If this review were to be only two words, they would be 'Buy this!' [this] book is an essential, authoritative and easy-to-understand..” (Media Week 4 May 2004) "...an admirable book..." (Management Today, March 2004)

Preface. Acknowledgements. 1. Brand stretch ? or brand ego trip? Extension advantages. So why does the success rate suck? Virgin: The biggest ever brand ego trip? Shotgun weddings. Quitting the brand ego trip. Brand added value. Dove: Brand added value in action. The Brand Stretch workout. Key takeouts. Checklist 1: Brand Stretch ? or brand ego trip? 2. Step One: Strengthen the core. In shape to stretch? The heart of a healthy brand. Anchoring the core range. Bud and Bud Light: Sun and planets. Risky business. Tango: Taking the eye off the orange ball. Key takeouts. Checklist 2: Strengthen the core. 3. Step Two: Vision. GPS for brands 30 The masterbrand challenges. Less myopic marketing. Blockbuster: Out of the video box. Climbing the brand ladder. Pampers: From bottoms to babies. Axe: Ladders and snakes. Elastic brands. Key takeouts. Checklist 3: Vision. 4. Step Three: Ideas. Start close to home. Moving out. Innovation shortcuts. The fairytale world of innovation. Starbucks? Frappuccino: Real world innovation. Innokill survival kit. Key takeouts. Checklist 4: Ideas. 5. Step Four: Focus. Meet the seven dwarves. Heroes or zeroes? Bertolli: Virtual venture capital. Dimension one: Brand vision building. Dimension two: Show me the money. The easyGroup story: Murder on the balance sheet. easyGroup summary. Alternatives to going it alone. Key takeouts. Checklist 5: Focus. 6. Step Five: Delivery. Underestimating execution. Nescafé Hot When You Want: Not so hot execution. Brand damage. Brand and deliver. The Apple iPod: White hot execution. Delivering the promise. Key takeouts. Checklist 6: Delivery. 7. Step Six: Brand architecture. The Sorcerer?s Apprentice. Architecture for brands. Houses versus streets. Mono-platform brands. Multi-platform brands. Lego: Building blocks of a new future. When the rubber hits the road. Comfort: Designing a turnaround. Let?s go round again. Key takeouts. Checklist 7: Brand architecture. Appendix 1: Masterbrand positioning tips and tricks. Appendix 2: Example masterbrand positioning tool. Appendix 3: Masterbrand positioning tool template. References. Index.