Over the years, we’ve seen many popular trends among the younger generation: Barney, the pet rock, astronaut ice cream. We’ve also seen companies trying to latch on to what’s hot and make their own version. How many silicon wrist bands are there since Lance Armstrong started the Livestrong initiative? Heck, I’ve even sold them to one of my clients who wanted them (6,000 in fact). The silicone wrist band, while already past its popularity peak, is still plentiful as a promotional product. But what about when companies clone their own products?
I remember, even as a kid, the major toy companies rehashing the same product with a new spin. Barbie, GI Joe, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, LEGOs, and Trivial Pursuit are just a few toy lines that got overzealous with their name in recent decades. How many iterations of Monopoly does one need? Sometimes, as in the case of the GI Joes or Barbies, would merely change the color scheme of the toy to introduce a new line. So all of a sudden, good ol’ Joe would now be sold as snow camo Joe, urban camo Joe, and desert camo Joe with, at best, a minimal change in accessories.
What does this kind of mindless copying do to brand name or brand image? Companies do it, so it must be good for them in some way. What do you think? Are choices for the sake of choices superfluous or essential to your life? Does it matter if a company adds a new product that has the same function of an existing one without removing the latter, ala Coke introducing Coke Zero but not discontinuing Diet Coke?
