Cooks are stirring up branding
Who’d have thought that Essex cheekie-chappie Jamie Oliver would be giving marketers a masterclass in brand extension? In addition to the string of television shows bearing the Naked Chef’s name – Jamie’s Italy, Jamie’s American Roadtrip – he’s stuck his name on an array of goods, services and campaigns.
He’s got woodfired ovens, the Jamie Oliver Keep it Simple range of pasta sauces and the whisks and knives of the Jamie Oliver Kitchen Kit. There’s also an online shop stocking everything from DVDs to hampers, books and Jamie Magazine. All of these brands, plus Oliver’s three restaurants and charity foundation, helped set him up for the biggest payday and brand boost of all: endorsing Sainsbury’s.
Japanese brands know no boundaries
British marketers are traditionally cautious about diversifying beyond the natural boundaries of their core market. In Japan this concept is unknown. Japanese keiretsu, or corporations, such as Mitsubishi, Sumitomo and Dai-Ichi Kangyo, use their brands for a dizzying variety of businesses. Mitsubishi is composed of more than 400 constituent firms, including banking, nuclear power, cars, aerospace and life insurance. Almost all the firms in the keiretsu use the same logo. The model allows the Mitsubishi brand to thrive in any sector. To coordinate efforts across the group the heads of the top 25 companies belong to the Mitsubishi Kin’yokai, or Friday club, which meets for lunch once a month.
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