Brand Extension Introduction

In the process of designing product strategies, the name and identification number of a product are always considered. Kotler 2008 also highlights this fact as it is well adressed by manufacturing companies that their product brand contain power , attracted from market. The American marketing association acknowledges brand as: the means of differentiation between sellers in terms of name , mark, phrase , symbol, sigh , any combination of these or any other feature of the product. Brand extension means using a prosperous brand image for a new and different product class ( arselan And altuna 2008).

Brand extension is an action plan using existing and well recognized brand name to launch a completely distinct product class(guoqun and jiali, 2007

The morecexposure of brand extension can be seen in fast moving consumer goods segment (fmcgs) such as personal care products (Ambler and styles, 1997) . Myriad academic studies have increasingly indulge in exploring phenomena of prosperous brand extension dimension and consumer reactions towards it (Aaker and keller, 1990;Ambler and style , 1997; barone ,2005 ;bottomley and Holden , 2001;fedoekhin , park and Thomson , 2008) . In branding literature there exist a wast horizon of knowledge related to brand extension and increasingly researchers are directing their efforts to investigate it (czellar , 2003) . The affiliation of new product with existing brand can improve consumer knowledge and can reduce their reluctance and confusion to shop that new product . Keeping this in mind corporate world is increasingly indulging in brand extension and facing its consequences in terms of success and failures . Strategic importance of brand extension cannot be denied because it has risks ( invitation to failures) and opportunities as well. A defective decision would lead to detrimental affiliations that may be costly to replace ( ries and trout , 1981) . The consequences of failure may not be limited to new brand but they could also effect establish brand by dilution or spoiling its image (Ambler and styles, 1997 ;Martinez and chernatony , 2009) . Depending on product market and situations corporations are using different extension method either it be horizontal or vertical brand extension . Brand extension should be based on compatibility between parent and extended brand . If the extended brand matched with the parent brand then it 's acceptability or progress may be high .