Strategic Brand Extension: Ben & Jerry's Expansion in the UK Market

This report provides a brand extension strategy for Ben & Jerry's in the UK market, considering the rising consumer concern for healthy eating and market opportunities. It analyzes Ben & Jerry's brand portfolio and elements, followed by a market analysis highlighting the demand for healthier options. The recommended brand extension is a low-fat, high-protein ice cream line, targeting fitness-conscious consumers, with an STP analysis outlining segmentation, targeting, and positioning. The marketing mix for the new line is discussed, including product, price, place, and promotions. Finally, Keller's CBBE model is applied to assess the brand equity of the proposed extension, ensuring it enhances Ben & Jerry's overall brand image and consumer relationships.

Component
Group Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Part A) Ben and Jerry's Brand ....................................................................................................1
Part B) Market Analysis .............................................................................................................2
Part C) Recommended Brand Extension.....................................................................................2
Part D) Ben and Jerry's Brand Equity ........................................................................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Businesses add new elements in their brand portfolio in order to adjust with changing
external environment and exploit upcoming market opportunities. Introduction of a new product
is dependent on the branding of the company as the new product need to enhance brand equity
of the organization. This report describes idea for brand extension of American food
manufacturing company Ben and Jerry's in the UK market. Branding of Ben and Jerry's and
market opportunities in UK are provided in this report. A suitable brand extension idea with
target consumer base is included along with explanation of Ben and Jerry's brand equity.
MAIN BODY
Part A) Ben and Jerry's Brand
Brand Portfolio
Brand portfolio refers to the brands which are operated by the company and offered to
the consumer (Kirca and et. al., 2020). Initially Ben and jerry's started as an ice cream
manufacturer but the brand portfolio of the company has extended to include addition of sorbet
as well as frozen yogurt products. The brand portfolio of Ben and Jerry's is unique from rival
frozen dessert manufacturers as the flavours of various products offered by Ben and Jerry's are
very unique and innovative . Vegan and dairy free ice cream flavours along with innovative
flavours such as Cherry Garcia inspired from famous guitarist Jerry Garcia (Cherry Garcia Ice
cream, 2022).
Brand elements
 Logo: Ben and Jerry's has a memorable logo which is the name of the company in black
and white written in capitalized funky font. Alongside the name is also written
Vermont's finest which indicates the place from where the business was started.
 Colour Pallet: The colour pallet of Ben and Jerry's logo is black white and yellow while
the product packaging is fill of different colours depending on the flavour. Multicolour
colour pallet makes the product stand-out and look more attractive.
 Shape: The shape of Ben and Jerry's logo is a rectangle with slight curve. This is
suitable logo shape as the angular shape depicts precision and dependability considering
long history of the brand while the slight curves introduces softness and friendliness in
branding.
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 Tag-line: Ben and Jerry's has the tag line “peace love and ice cream” (Ben and Jerry's,
2022). This is suitable tag-line for the brand as it communicates the products offered by
the company, the social responsibility viewpoint and depicts friendliness.
 Imagery: The main illustration used in Ben and Jerry's products is of a a cow which is
the mascot of the brand. The animated cow illustration maintains the fun and friendly
image of Ben and Jerry's.
Part B) Market Analysis
The rising consume concern towards healthy eating and obesity in United Kingdom
affects packaged food manufacturers. This consumer concern towards Obesity in children and
adults to create strategies winch tackle obesity in the country. UK government has taken actions
such as making calorie labelling compulsory and banning buy 1 get 1 free offers on unhealthy
products to tackle obesity (Obesity: Unhealthy 'buy one get one free' deals targeted, 2020) . Ben
and Jerry's need to adjust their brand portfolio in light of this market rend in order to continue
growth.
There is also consumer demand for additional functional benefits in frozen dessert
products in order to gain better value. This involves addition of probiotics, vitamins, CBD or
protein so that the consumer is able to gain a sense of well-being while indulging on their sweet
treat. In case of Ben and Jerry's most flavours offered by the company are unique but offer only
limited benefits as they are made from sweet ingredients such as cookie dough and caramel. Ben
and Jerry's need to consider using ingredients which provide additional functional benefits and
attract more consumers.
Part C) Recommended Brand Extension
Brand Extension Idea
The brand extension idea for Ben and Jerry's is to crate an ice cream line which ha s low
fat and high protein content so that tit does not promote obesity while also offering consumers
additional benefits in the form of protein consumption. The brand line needs to contain dairy as
well as non-dairy ice-cream products which have low calorie content per pint and come in
unique flavours sweetcorn, buttermilk, sweet lavender, coffee and frosted almonds.
STP Analysis
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STP analysis can be used to determine the most suitable audience for a specific brand
line and understand a profitable way of positioning the company in relation to the brand line.
The application of STP analysis in case of new brand line for Ben and Jerry's is provided below:
Segmentation
The first segment for the low calorie, high protein ice cream range at Ben and Jerry's is
decided on the basis of psycho-graphic segmentation. Classification of consumers on the basis
of their life-style choices or personality is conducted with the help of psycho-graphic
segmentation technique (Dolnicar, Grün and Leisch, 2018). Consumers who follow a fitness
conscious life-style with strict diets are suitable segment for Ben and Jerry's new brand
extension idea because the low calorie content and high protein will provide them tasteful ice-
cream with added value of healthy consumption. Apart from this, the consumer segment of
parents is also profitable for Ben and Jerry's as the brand will offer delicious and unique ice-
cream flavours for taste pallet of growing children with lower risk of obesity.
Targeting
The most suitable consumer segment which will provide high return on investment for
the high protein brand line of Ben and Jerry's is the consumer segment of fitness focused
consumers. These consumers have high potential for profit as the brand line addresses their
basic need to eat tasty food without negatively affecting health. The additional benefit provided
by the Ben and jerry's line will attract such consumers as Ben and Jerry's is a trusted brand
which is offering quality and health concision ice-cream. Two thirds of UK shoppers are buying
healthier food and every one in four shopper aim to loose weight (UK shoppers increasingly
buying healthy food, finds report, 2017). There is huge growth potential for growth of the target
consumer for Ben and Jerry's fitness focused brand line is targeted towards health concisions
consumer segment.
Positioning
The positioning of Ben and Jerry's in order to attract health conscious consumers
towards the new brand line of ice creams will be to promote health and additional benefits
provided by the new ice cream range while also emphasizing trusted history of the company in
delivering high quality products. This type of positioning will help Ben and Jerry's effectively
communicate basic needs fulfilled by the product along with the additional benefits provided to
the consumers. This positioning can help Ben and Jerry's strengthen their name as a fitness
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focused food manufactured in UK and exploit the growing opportunities created due to rising
fitness conscious society.
Marketing mix Product: The product line of Ben and Jerry's will include low calorie, fat and high
protein ice creams with innovative flavours such as sweetcorn, buttermilk, sweet
lavender, coffee and frosted almonds. Price: The pricing strategy adopted for this brand extension idea will be competitive
pricing strategy. Product prices are decided on the basis of prices of competing firms
under competitive pricing strategy (Wu and et. al., 2022). Place: The products will be distributed through intensive distribution strategy and will
be available in every major retail outlet and online channels.
 Promotions: Social media marketing and TV advertisements will be used to promote the
new healthy brand extension line as it will help reach maximum number of consumers.
Part D) Ben and Jerry's Brand Equity
Keller's CBBE model
Brand Identity
The current brand identity of Ben and Jerry's is mass retailing ice cream, sorbet and
frozen yogurt lines which can be enjoyed by every member of the family. The new product line
will enhance brand identity of Ben and Jerry's by making the products appealing to fitness
conscious consumers.
Brand Meaning
The brand meaning in case of Ben and Jerry's consists of reliable product offering, fun
style, delicious and unique flavours along with affordability. In terms of imagery and social
currency of Ben and Jerry's the CSR initiatives such as campaigns towards refugee rights
provide the company positive social currency (Join us in helping to protect and advance the
rights of all those seeking a safe place to call home, 2022). The product extension idea of
healthy ice cream flavours will add to the brand meaning by crating the perception that Ben and
Jerry's is helping tackle obesity through healthy and tasty offerings.
Brand Responses
This level of the model looks at the feelings and judgements made by the consumer in
regards to the brand. Ben and Jerry's is associated with fun, enjoyment, empathy and activism.
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This is because of CSR activities and unique flavours provided by the company. The brand
extension of healthier ice cream products will maintain the fun and quirky image of Ben and
Jerry's by adding unique flavours while also making it more valuable for fitness conscious
consumers.
Brand Relationships
It is important to create relationship with consumers which have high resonance in order
to retain them for a longer time period (Fernandes and Moreira, 2019). The social activism
conducted by Ben and Jerry's helps create strong brand relationship between consumer and
company surrounding different social causes such as climate change, LGBTQ+ rights and
refugee rights. The brand extension of innovation and healthy ice cream products including non-
dairy options will further enhance consumer relationship as the products will play an active part
in weight loss or fitness journey of the consumers.
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CONCLUSION
From the above report it is concluded that brand elements such as imagery, colour palette
and logo help build specific perception of the company. Businesses can use these elements to
create suitable image during introduction of a new product line. decisions related to new product
line such as identification of target consumer can be completed with the help of STP analysis
tool while marketing mix can be used to determine marketing tactics. It is important that
decisions related to offering new product lien are based on market trend analysis and existing
market opportunities so that the brand extension provides long-term growth to the company.
Keller's CBBE model can be used by corporates to recognize the brand equity of a specific
brand extension so that it helps enhance the brand equity.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Dolnicar, S., Grün, B. and Leisch, F., 2018. Market segmentation analysis: Understanding it,
doing it, and making it useful (p. 324). Springer Nature.
Fernandes, T. and Moreira, M., 2019. Consumer brand engagement, satisfaction and brand
loyalty: a comparative study between functional and emotional brand
relationships. Journal of Product & Brand Management.
Kirca and et. al., 2020. The interactive effects of product and brand portfolio strategies on brand
performance: Longitudinal evidence from the US automotive industry. International
Journal of Research in Marketing, 37(2). pp.421-439.
Wu and et. al., 2022. Pricing strategy and performance investment decisions in competitive
crowdfunding markets. Journal of Business Research, 140. pp.491-497.
Online
Ben and Jerry's, 2022. [Online] Available through <https://www.unilever.com/brands/foods-
refreshment/ben-jerrys/>
Cherry Garcia Ice cream, 2022. [Online] Available through
<https://www.benjerry.co.uk/flavours/cherry-garcia-ice-cream>
Join us in helping to protect and advance the rights of all those seeking a safe place to call home,
2022. <https://www.benjerry.co.uk/values/issues-we-care-about/refugees>
Obesity: Unhealthy 'buy one get one free' deals targeted, 2020. [Online] Available through
<https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53546151>
UK shoppers increasingly buying healthy food, finds report, 2017. [Online] Available through
<https://www.talkingretail.com/news/industry-news/uk-shoppers-increasingly-buying-
healthy-food-finds-report-03-10-2017/>
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