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Will the trend last, or will consumers finally overdose on labels?
For all those market analysts who have been predicting that consumers are getting put-off by brand saturation in consumer products - check this out. The latest marketing trend, 'branded-brands', takes well-known labels and teams them with other well-known labels to create a kind of super-branded product. BMWs with adapters for Apple's iPod; Westin hotels offering premium Aveda-brand beauty products - this is cross merchandising taken to the next level.
This marketing strategy allows wellknown brands to penetrate new markets by tagging along with another product or service. The key is to pair brands that have natural synergy. By simply replacing mediocre in-flight coffee with Starbucks coffee, United Airlines has done wonders for its image, while Starbucks is essentially giving out samples of their products to thousands of potential customers each day. The products and services don't compete with one another, but they both get exposure by combining to create more value for the customer. The branded-brand concept is popping up in products and services all over the world. Read-on for more examples.
Dutch-giant Philips is on the leading-edge of the branded-brands trend. The Perfective Iron, teams Philips with Unilever to make ironing easier and more effective. The Perfective Iron uses a specially developed cartridge to dispense a fine mist of anti-crease agent provided by Robijn, one of Unilever's garment care...