Brand extension will be and can be successful, if it is well-thought- over. When you launch any brand extension most of the times you ride on the equities of the mother or main brand. Hence, adequate measures have to be taken to ensure the brand extension plan as a very clear long-term objective and a strong communication platform. To successfully launch good brand extension, the product and the communication strategy should fit into the overall values that have been defined about the brand. One of the main advantages of getting into any brand extension is that you strategically use the equity/goodwill from an existing brand and apply it to another product or service.

If successful, this can save a substantial amount of money, because you do not have to allocate huge investments in developing a new brand. All you have to do is to make people aware that the brand has entered a new product/service or market category. The equity of the mother brand will help in creating a strong platform, if the new product or service is relevant and is not a strong deviation from the core values of the brand. Another important aspect one should keep in mind is that, if you are successful, you increase the respect/stature of your brand overall, and may well rejuvenate it. The saliency level of the brand will be top of mind as the brand reaches the end consumer in different product forms.

Thus, enhancing the overall equity of the brand.Over the past two-and-a-half decades, there have been several brands in India that have introduced brand extensions. Some have succeeded and some have failed. It is very critical that the equity and the core values of the mother brand are percolated to the new product or service. However, there are some brands, which have failed because of major disconnect in the new brand extension. The cosmetic brand Pond's launched a toothpaste long ago. It was really surprising as to how a consumer who knew the brand Pond's as a cosmetic brand specialized for its fragrances apply this inside the mouth. Total dichotomy between the mother brand and the new product resulted in the brand not taking off and the company had to withdraw the product from the category.

Brand extension, Bbrand extension, communication strategy, Pond's, Bbrand strategy, Credit Rating and Information Services of India Ltd., CRISIL, A T Kearney, Global retail development index, Supply-chain management, Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, FMRI, Global private label market, National Council for Applied Economic Research, NCAER, Lifebuoy, Nirma, Colgate, Red-label, Lux.