If it doesn’t oink like a percy pig, or squeal like a percy pig, then it just isn’t a percy pig!!!
It’s Friday so lets chat about something relaxing, let’s talk about percy pigs and brand extension.
When I moved to London from Paris, (which for a croissant, seine, boulevard lover like myself was a hard thing to do) I discovered one of the great pleasures of life, the little yet overwhelmingly brilliant percy pig!
I can’t think of any situation where having one doesn’t make sense, be it to celebrate, drown your sorrows, fill a little gap in the stomach, or just because you can – percy pigs never let you down!
So you can imagine my joy when a friend turned up Wednesday night with, not only a pack of percy pigs, but also some percy organic biscuits! I love tasting something new, and in this instance I couldn’t wait to double my percy happiness!
After chewing on what felt like a hard shortbread, I had to accept a harsh reality, if it doesn’t oink like a percy pig, or squeal like a percy pig, then it just isn’t a percy pig!!! – and these biscuits had definitely nothing to do with percy pigs.
I’m all for brand extension. If I produced percy pigs I would be tempted to spread some of that percy magic across a ton of new products!!!
But I wouldn’t. Why? Because I have not forgotten my abc’s of brand extension:
1) Brand extensions that does not create positive synergy for the parent product should not be pursued – I can’t imagine these hard little biscuits will bring a smile to anyone’s face, nor any value to the percy pig family (unlike the brilliant product extension percy pig and pals).
2) Positive feelings towards the original product will not automatically transfer to the new one – if I didn’t believe that to be true I would have tried to convince my business partner to call our company this percy world rather than this fluid world.
3) Brand extensions must be a logical fit with consumers’ expectations. I can stretch from candy to biscuits, but not from super soft and filled with personality to hard and boring.
4) It works both ways, brand extensions that creates confusion or a negative image for the parent should therefore not be undertaken – if you’re sitting on something brilliant, don’t break it (in this instance I was genuinely worried about breaking my teeth).
As I went to bed that evening I wondered if my biscuit experience would have a negative effect on my love for percy pigs…
Apparently not, as I ran out last night to meet a friend I found myself making a de-tour to M&S at Bond Street station for some you know what (you should I’ve only mentioned it 14 times in this post).
Which means I think I have to adjust rule 4 by adding ‘unless you’re lucky enough to have a product that so totally rocks it’s bullet proof to brand extension mistakes!’.
I wonder how many brand managers are out there sitting on a product that would pass the percy test, in my experience not many!
(Do you think I‘ve mentioned percy pigs enough times in this blog for them to send me a massive box? 
)
Have a great weekend!
P.S this one is for you Ludden for being brilliant, and for sharing my love of pigs (and crumpets of course, vive l’Angleterre!!!).
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I applaud your post! I am such a fan of Percy Pigs and now my husband is too and we live in Springfield, MO.
Comme dirait Titeuf, le célèbre petit garçon à la mèche du dessinateur de BD, ZEP, “C’est pô juste”!!! Je n’ai pas l’heur et le bonheur de connaître percy pig et donc d’en être une fan, une addict, une amoureuse. Est-ce parce que le cochon n’a pas un imaginaire aussi fort en charge positive dans la culture française, contrairemetn à la culture anglo-saxonne (cf les 3 petits cochons)? En tous cas, les Français ont la sucette et ont même avec Harribo importé la sucette “chups”, toute ronde, supplantant la sucette qui offre son double sucrée à la langue, les Français ont les “nounours”, on pourrait leur vendre des lapins mais pas trace de piercy pig!le cochon, pourtant enjoué et bon vivant n’est pas au catalogue.
Vite, la place est vacante pour l’import! (ho! mon inconscient en le faisant rimer avec porc marque la forte attirance pour le produit…) et s’il faut le décliner, il est vrai que je le vois plutôt,, non comestible, mais trompettant, grognant pour notre plus grand plaisir et amusement, sur une poche de jeans ou de blouson.
Piercy pig, bien sûr que ce n’est pas le sablé qui doit parler, mais bien l’emballage quand on le touche!!!!
Dans l’attente de le découvrir grâce à son accorte entremetteuse…
Pauleau SA