Brand Background
Dyson is an international corporation based in Singapore that specializes in manufacturing technological home appliances, including lights, vacuum cleaners, hand dryers, and hair dryers. It was established in 1991 in Great Britain, and since 2019 its head office has been situated in Singapore. Nowadays, more than 12,000 employees work for it (Dyson, 2022). Dyson has a global presence, and its products are among the most popular items among customers.
Extension Idea
Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer has become very popular in recent years. It is in the top rating of the best hair dryers due to its ability to preserve the optimal heat of the air to avoid hair damage. Moreover, it has several additional hair dryer attachments that allow people to style their hair quickly. According to the clients’ surveys, the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer is more than 35% better than other products with similar functions due to these characteristics (Dyson, 2022). Therefore, its popularity among clients is justified, and this product has become iconic for the brand.
It is possible to assume that the target audience of Dyson Supersonic hairdryer is predominantly women and stylists who need this product for long hair. The connection between long and middle-length hair is evident in this case because short hair does not require styling with the hair dryer. It is logical to extend the Dyson Supersonic hairdryers’ product line with the hair care products. For instance, it is possible to add styling mousse, oil for hydrating hair and protecting it from heat, shampoo, balm, and hair growth serum. These products are popular among people with long hair and facilitate a hair care routine. Therefore, Dyson can sell cosmetics for hair in the same product line as the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer.
Rationale/justification
According to the official website of Dyson, the company’s mission is “to inspire a new generation of engineers. It provides money, materials, and mentorship so that young people can get hands-on with problems – and learn how to solve them” (Dyson, 2022). The company tries to focus on the innovations in the technological sphere and produce the top-rated items that can be used in everyday life. Dyson does not focus on producing cosmetics and by-products that can be used with their technologies, which is the cavity in business that can be filled. People buy these products that are additional to Dyson’s technologies from other brands, which shows a need for these items. It might be profitable for Dyson to launch its product line to satisfy its customers’ demand and develop the business.
Dyson tries to extend the brand regularly, but not all initiatives are successful. For instance, the company announced that Dyson plans to produce electric vehicles, but the program was stopped less than a year after its start due to the inability to make the project commercially profitable. The company created the electric vehicle prototype, but the idea’s subsequent development is under question now. Making the electric vehicle is expensive, and its launching into mass production is a complicated process requiring significant manufacturing changes (Dyson, 2022). In other words, the costs for launching the electric vehicle are too high compared to the potential popularity of this item among clients.
The example of the electric vehicle shows that brand expansion should reflect the product’s need and be economically profitable. Launching the cosmetics for hair care that are sold together with the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer corresponds to these two requirements. It is not necessary to change the existing manufacturing in Dyson company because it is possible to outsource hair care cosmetics from specialized companies. Moreover, the additional products for hair care are not expensive, especially compared to the hair drier the client buys. The love and loyalty for the brand name might guarantee the stable interest of clients in the new products launched by Dyson, which might become a good starting point for the brand extension to the sphere of hair care (Bruns, Langner, & Fischer, 2017). Therefore, Dyson can launch this brand extension without significant problems and financial expenses. At the same time, it will facilitate the lives of people who buy their hair driers because they will not need to search for these items elsewhere.
It is possible to assume that the introduction of the hair care cosmetics ideal for use with the Dyson Supersonic hairdryer corresponds to the company’s mission statement. It makes life easier and provides customers with a high-quality solution to their problems, as the vision of the company supposes. Moreover, it is the chance to start producing and selling related products for other brand technologies.
Target Market
The target market of Dyson Supersonic hairdryer and hair care cosmetics are the same. Clients who might be interested in buying these products work with hair styling professionally or have long or middle-length hair, so they need them at home. The target market for hair care cosmetics is broader than the one for Dyson Supersonic hair dryer because of the comparatively low prices of these products and their availability for all people. It is essential to mention that the target market for the hairdryer and the hair care products does not change significantly, and it makes the preservation of the brand strategy critical in this case (Anesbury, Winchester, & Kennedy, 2017). Therefore, people who do not own Dyson hairdryers can also buy its hair care products and become the target market for the company.
Marketing/launch strategy
The strategy for product launch features the initial research on the topic, testing, and making sure that there is a demand for the new product on the market. It is critical to find out whether people need hair cosmetics from Dyson and what are the conditions under which they might buy them. Moreover, it is essential to create effective marketing and advertising plan to introduce the product to the target audience. The pricing strategy should be elaborated depending on the delivery method and channel of sale. Therefore, launch and marketing consist of numerous steps that prepare people for the brand extension and help clients see the profits of buying these products.
It is possible to distribute the hair care products online and offline selling platforms and provide beauty shops and cosmetologists with these items. The use of Dyson cosmetics together with the Supersonic hairdryers by professional stylists will show people that its products work perfectly together. Another vital detail in brand promotion is the online presence and live communication with clients on social media because it enhances the connection between the brand and its target audience (Kupfer et al., 2018). It is possible to utilize this method in the brand extension in the accounts of stylists promoting the hair care products from Dyson and the Supersonic hairdryers. The company previously used this strategy, and this brand promotion showed positive results because Dyson Supersonic hairdryers have become the top product in their category (Dyson, 2022). Therefore, it will be the effective promotion of the brand that combines online and offline presence and popularization of the product. After it, people can become interested in buying Dyson hair care, and they will be able to find it on online selling platforms and in offline shops.
Ethical Considerations
It is essential to ensure that brand extension is ethical and does not violate basic marketing principles. Among these are dishonesty, copyright issues, marketing to children, and using controversial topics to promote the brand. For instance, hair care cosmetics can be cruelty-free and contain the mark, increasing the product’s popularity among vegans and people who consider it an important issue. At the same time, it is vital, to be honest in making the claims about vegan and cruelty-free cosmetic products to avoid dishonesty that can ruin the brand name, Dyson. It is critical to understand that unethical brand image is an advantage for competitors who do not make these mistakes in brand promotion (Trump & Newman, 2017). Environmental sustainability is another topic that triggers ethical considerations and can be biased (Bose, 2017). It makes the focus on the sustainable side of producing hair care the vital component of the influential brand extension and the choice of the appropriate marketing strategy. Therefore, to create ethical production, it is crucial to be attentive to these minor details in the brand extension to avoid potential controversies concerning vulnerable topics.
References
Anesbury, Z., Winchester, M., & Kennedy, R. (2017). Brand user profiles seldom change and seldom differ. Marketing Letters, 28(4), 523–535. Web.
Bose, M. (2017). Immaterial thoughts: Brand value, environmental sustainability, and wall-e.Criticism, 59(2), 247–277. Web.
Bruns, D., Langner, T., & Fischer, A. (2017). The origins of brand love: A typology of starting points. Marketing: ZFP – Journal of Research and Management, 39(2), 38–48. Web.
Dyson. (2022). About Dyson. lb.dyson.com, Web.
Kupfer, A.-K., vor der Holte, N. P., Kübler, R. V., & Hennig-Thurau, T. (2018). The role of the partner brand’s social media power in brand alliances. Journal of Marketing, 82(3), 25–44. Web.
Trump, R. K., & Newman, K. P. (2017). When do unethical brand perceptions spill over to competitors?Marketing Letters, 28(2), 219–230. Web.