A Hard Rating for Solo’s brand extension?
Establishing a new brand is hard work. In categories where people already have a repertoire of brands they happily and easily buy from, these new brands start from zero for the fight for attention in category buyers’ minds, let alone for precious shelf space in retailers.
But what if a brand isn’t exactly new? What does this mean for likely success? Dr. Kirsten Victory and Dr. Will Caruso, senior marketing scientists at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, explain.
Hard Solo made its debut in the middle of 2023, introducing a new product that retained the familiar Solo taste but with an added twist – alcohol. Unlike brands that simply borrow elements of their identity to enter a new category, Hard Solo made a bold entrance, sparking controversy from the start. The instant familiarity of almost exactly the same elements on the packaging allowed the brand to be noticed and recognised on the shelf.
Research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute finds around one in four new products fail to last even a year after launch. However, another Institute study suggests that consumers who buy a brand in one category are slightly more likely to buy the same brand in a second category. This makes it unsurprising that brands like Solo might look to repurpose such an established brand name and distinct brand identity in a new and growing category.
Many of us would have had or at least seen Solo soft drinks at some point in our lives. Although it might have fallen out of your repertoire (or maybe not), the brand probably still has some of its memories floating around in your head. These might include what Solo tasted like, when it was good to drink, or even what the Solo brand looked like.
Solo is certainly not the first brand to extend their brand name into a new category. Extensions are widespread and are often used in the hope of tapping into the brand’s existing customer base and assets to provide an extra boost in trial straight after launch. This might give the brand a head start, but in itself it does not guarantee success. The product still has to leave consumers content with their purchase.
Not too long after launch, Hard Solo was criticised for adopting the Solo name and repurposing its branding for the new product. Australia’s beverages advertising code regulator found the brand would’ve had a “strong or evident appeal to minors”. As a result of this, a few months on, Hard Solo is now known as Hard Rated, being forced to drop the Solo name.
The recent name change of Hard Solo presents a very interesting case study. Despite changing its brand name, the packaging still maintains many elements of the original Hard Solo can, but now with a single lemon at the top rather than a tree. This evolution rather than revolution approach suggests that Hard Rated may still be able to maintain recognition among consumers.
Hard Solo’s journey highlights the complexities of brand extension and considerations around finding the right balance between cohesion and innovation when entering new categories, particularly with regulations. Changing the brand name and adapting the brand’s visual identity is certainly a slight bump in the road for this new brand.
As we approach the end of its launch year, it will be interesting to see what’s next as Hard Rated has had to go Solo and create its own distinct brand identity. Time will tell how Hard the (re)brand is Rated among consumers… but it seems the brand has already reaped the rewards from extending the Solo brand into this new category.
For more information about Ehrenberg-Bass, the the world’s largest centre for research into marketing, visit MarketingScience.info.
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