A fascinating attempt at brand extension has been announced in France today. Bic, best known for its disposable shavers, pens and lighters, has teamed up with Orange to create a Bic-branded mobile telephone.

The phone has a limited functionality and is designed for sale in French supermarkets, newsagents, tobacco shops, train stations, etc, for a suggested price of just €49 ($78, £39), with 60 minutes of calls included. A Bic spokeswoman said the idea was not to create a disposable mobile telephone but to export elements of the Bic brand - simplicity, good value - to a new product category.

I’ve seen crazier brand extensions. Mobile telephones are now staples of everyday life, like pens and shavers. Some people are also turned off by the myriad features on many handsets (the Bic phone has already been dubbed the anti-iPhone). However, brand credibility is not the only factor in this type of diversification. For instance, when Bic branched out from disposable shavers and launched a shaver with replaceable cartridge blades, the competitive response from the likes of Gillette was brutal.

July 11, 2008 3:20pm in Marketing/sales | Comment