Brand DNA Licensing Review Jeep Brand
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A review of the Jeep brand DNA and past trademark licensing efforts.
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Brand DNA Licensing Review Jeep Brand
- 1. Brand DNA Review: Jeep's Identity Crisis By Christopher Ursin Many brand owners have entered the world of licensing via licensing agents. But how many licensing agents have actually stayed true to its client’s original brand DNA? This article will look at the Jeep® brand to see if it has stayed true to its brand DNA or is it struggling with an identity crisis? The Jeep® brand is a perfect example of an iconic American brand with a rich heritage and real authenticity. Not long ago Jeep® had a clearly defined brand DNA born from a WWII military vehicle with proven off road 4X4 capabilities. These days if you took a Jeep® enthusiast down a few aisles at Wal-‐ Mart he/she would be confused looking at the Jeep® branded baby strollers and accessories (21 items). What are the shared brand equities between Jeep® branded strollers, baby bags, car seat accessories, changing pads and baby carriers and the original Jeep® brand? Is the baby category remotely related to the Jeep® brands DNA? The answer to both is no and it’s clearly a stretch to say the least. This is a classic example of an aggressive licensing agent securing brand extensions at any cost. Jeep® luggage is another brand extension that conceptually sounds like a good category. The Jeep® owner would expect to see Orvis® looking heavy duty gear bags with high-‐tech features. The reality is the Jeep® branded luggage is nothing more than Samsonite look alike suitcases with a few gear bags in the mix. Jeep® folding knives is a great category for the brand but the execution is all wrong. The Jeep® knives start at $9.00 which is the lowest price-‐point in the category. Outdoorsmen regularly spend $50 to $100+ for quality knives. This poor execution shows the licensing agents lack of knowledge of the consumer and the category. It should have been written into the license agreement what the pricing positioning would be for the knife category. A cheaply made knife is dangerous to the user and since it’s your diehard Jeep® enthusiast using the product it's an item that needs to match the quality found in Jeep® vehicles. The furthest licensed product away from the Jeep® brand DNA is a line of Jeep® branded dog toys. This category shares no equities with the original Jeep® brand DNA. What Jeep® and its licensing agent did right was to build a wide variety of Jeep® toy licensees. The line ranges from die cast toys, Fisher Price ride ons with exclusive features, bicycles, light and sound vehicles and more. So this begs the question how did this happen and did these wayward licensed products damage the Jeep® brand DNA that took decades to build. The connection for most diehard Jeep® enthusiasts runs deep as they tinker with their Jeep® most weekends. Owners hit the open road and as they cruise they give a wave too other Jeep® owners. A commonality only found among Harley Davidson® owners. Luckily for the brand owners and the licensing agent the core fan base doesn’t seem to notice the softer side of the brand. While reviewing multiple Jeep® forums the licensed Jeep® baby products aren't mentioned. It isn’t unknown if the wayward brand extensions eroded the Jeep® brand’s image. This is dangerous territory for brand owners and licensing agents as its imperative to stick close to the brands DNA. Brand extensions should always be based on shared equities of the brand and the licensed product. At the end of the day licensing agents have a responsibility to be good stewards of the client’s brand and should always minimize the risk to the brand regardless of potential profit.