Jolly Rancher Frozen Beverage was named the #4 Best Food Brand Extension for 2007 by Brandweek.com. Please read the article below:

New Products: Line Extensions That Crossed The Line In '07
Precious Moments: The nail in the coffin for the year's worst line extensions.
December 10, 2007
By Kenneth Hein

Three words: Precious Moments coffins. The keepsake maker was one of many brands this year that didn't know where to draw the line when it came to line extensions, according to the TippingSprung Brand Extension Survey.

TippingSprung polled 785 Brandweek readers online last week to determine what were deemed the best and worst brand extensions in 2007.

The macabre coffin based on the teary-eyed figurine maker was voted the most inappropriate extension by 33.9% of respondents. It was followed by the Humane Society Do Lovers Wine Club (28.4%) and Girls Gone Wild apparel (14.9%).

The most questionable food extension went to Hooters energy drink (32.5%), Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Chicken Breasts (21.9%) and Trump Steaks (21.1%).

Hooters has the dubious distinction of winning a worst brand extension category for the second time in the four years the survey has existed. Hooters Airline, which has since been grounded, was the other.

"Hooters doesn't stand for energy. It stands for boobs and chicken," said Laura Ries, president of Ries & Ries brand consultancy, Atlanta. "At least the airline had girls on it. This is just another example of a line extension that doesn't make any sense."

Too often new products stray from their core values "to the point where there is no relation to the brand at all," said Ries.

The brands that did it right found a way to create innovative, succesful extensions that are in harmony with the core brand. PetSmart PetsHotel was voted best brand extension by 34.3% of respondents. Huggies Little Swimmers sunscreen was second (29%) followed by Disney's Fairy Tale wedding gowns (23.3%) and American Idol camp (13.4%).

"Pets are becoming the new kids," said Martyn Tipping, co-founder of TippingSprung, New York. "The popularity of pet extensions [has exploded] and there is still room for growth. It will be interesting to see what other brands begin to provide products and services to pet owners.

There are limits, however. A Humane Society branded cell phone service finished last (7.1%) in the best nonprofit extension category. The ASPCA Collection of pet travel and safety products was first (39.9%).

Curves cereal was named the best food extension according to 34.3% of respondents. Entenmann's coffee was a distant second (16.6%), trailed by Russell Stover cookie dough (14.6%), Jolly Rancher frozen beverages (12.5%) and Guinness whole grain bread (12.1%).

Mike Raymond, president of Curves International, Waco, Texas, said his popular fitness franchise and General Mills are a fit "because we share values. We are both concerned about women's health. Most women know it is not just about diet or exercise, it's both."

Curves has selected its partners carefully. "We're not just coming up with extension ideas," said Raymond. Curves also has an agreement with Avon to distribute branded fitness apparel and footwear.

For the most part, "Marketers have become more cautious," said Robert Sprung, TippingSprung co-founder. "Companies are playing it closer to the vest because more than enough prior line extensions have raised people's eyebrows."

This is evident in some of the retail exclusives. The Food Network was tops (42.4%) with its kitchenware line available at Kohl's. Sharper Image was second (22.7%) with its office supply line offered at OfficeMax. Better Homes and Garden homeware at Wal-Mart (19.4%) and Playskool baby care products (8.2%) followed.

The best brand extensions in the home category also followed obvious routes with La-Z-Boy outdoor furniture (63.9%) and the Better Homes and Garden Real Estate Network (28.8%) leading the way.

In terms of celebrity branded items, Newman's Own continues to be the gold standard. Three-quarters of respondents gave Newman's Own wine a thumb's up. Danny DeVito's Premium Limoncello, meanwhile, scored a thumb's down, according to 69.7% of respondents. The Jeff Gordon Collection of fine wines was universally panned (90.8%), as was Royal Butler Wines from Paul Burrell, Princess Diana's butler (85.7%).

"The permission and the respect that Newman's Own enjoys is rare indeed," said Tipping. "It can straddle all of these diverse categories like almost no other brand can."

The Donald, meanwhile, appears to be stretching himself thin as not only did his steaks bomb, but also The Trump Home rug collection. Only 2.4% of voters viewed it as a top brand extension for the home.

"Trump rug collection?" asked Ries. "For the head or the floor?"

(For more, go to Brandweek.com.)

khein@brandweek.com