NUK and Philips AVENT use two different branding strategies to offer products for target consumers. What branding strategies do they adopt?

NUK (2012) is one of the brand lines of MAPA GmbH. It sells baby care products, like feeding bottles, teats, soothers, nursing products, safety items etc. NUK adopts the line extension, which is a kind of brand extension strategy. Brand extension is that a firm (i.e. MAPA GmbH) uses an established brand (i.e. NUK) to introduce a new product (i.e. Silicone PREMIUM CHOICE Teat size 1, Small hole) (Kotler, & Keller,
2012, p.282). In addition, it selects the line extension that the parent brand (i.e. NUK) covers a new product (i.e. Silicone PREMIUM CHOICE Teat size 1, Small hole) within a product category it currently serves (i.e. nursing aids).
Philips AVENT is one of the brand lines of Philips (2012), which is the mother and child care – brand portfolio of Philips. Brand portfolio is the set of all brands and brand lines a particular firm offers for sale in a particular category or market segment (Kotler, & Keller, 2012, p.284). Its products include: baby bottles, breast pumps, breast milk storage etc. The category extension of brand extension is adopted by Philips AVENT. Kotler, and Keller (2012) mention that an established brand (i.e. Philips AVENT) is used to introduce a new product (i.e. DECT baby monitor). The parent brand (i.e. Philips AVENT) is used to brand a new product (i.e.
DECT baby monitor) which enters a different product category from those it currently serves. The new product belongs to a new category – baby monitors (p.
283).
Comparing the branding strategy between NUK and Philips AVENT, NUK is more effective to attain its target consumers. There is a strong basis of fit. Even though
NUK introduce new product (Silicone PREMIUM CHOICE Teat size 1, Small hole), it is suitable to its brand image; NUK is a traditional brand that provides baby care products since 1956 (NUK, 2012). Kotler, and Keller (2012) state that consumers have certain cognition about NUK. So, line extension can improve odds of new product success; consumers

References: Interbrand – Best Global Brands 2011 – Top 100 brands (2012). Retrieved March 4, 2012 from Interbrand site: http://www.interbrand.com/en/best-global-brands/best-global-brands-2008/bes t-global-brands-2011.aspx Kotler, P. and Keller, K. L. (2012) Marketing Management, 14th Edition, Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. NUK – NUK (2012). Retrieved March 4, 2012 from NUK Web site: http://en.nuk.de/#path=/products&m=1&n=10 Philips – Consumer Products (2012). Retrieved March 4, 2012 from Philips Web site: http://www.usa.philips.com/