Brand Synergy… or Not
[Originally posted by Jennifer on Brains on Fire.]
I am one of those people. You know those people. You can’t touch my feet, I can’t touch your feet, you can’t touch me with your feet… or there will be dire consequences.
So imagine my delight {shudder} when I read about the product Reebok released today. It seems that Reebok has decided to combine two things everyone loves: shoes… and Kool-Aid.
Yup. Kool-Aid scented sneakers. “Instant classics” according to Reebok. (But let’s be honest… doesn’t everyone say that? When have you seen a product launch when the company said, “Yeah, this product is really going to tank and there’s not a chance anyone will buy it.”) Apparently this all involves “scent-infused sock liners.” Take a moment to ponder that. And today’s launch is only the first wave. There will be clothing (mercifully unscented) and a much wider variety of “flavors.”
Okay… let’s not mince words here. Feet stink. They do. Particularly feet that spend any amount of time in athletic shoes. And I would venture to say that most people don’t go out of the way to smell each other’s stinky shoes (fetishists… I’m not judging you). And adding some pseudo fruity scent is not going to overcome so much as vaguely nauseatingly mix with a product that is already an olfactory experience. I’m sure the shoes smell great in the box (or as great as anything like that could smell), but honestly, after wearing these shoes on a good run or two, I would assume that it will make the wearer swear off Kool-Aid for good!
Now, I am all for cross marketing. I think when the right brands partner for the right reasons, they can truly enhance a shared experience. And honestly, there are probably some great ways that Reebok and Kool-Aid could work together… but it’s important to find not only the right brand to work with, but the right inroad.
Perhaps the most dangerous phrase on Earth: “Hey… you know what’d be cool?” Think it through, people.
