Brand Extensions for Consumer Choice
Situation
CooperVision, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of corrective contact lenses, sells its products under several branded families. Among those families, Biofinity is the brand name for a line of lenses that can be worn a month at a time, and Avaira is the name for two-week lenses.
To showcase the company’s innovation CooperVision created a contact lens that would provide relief for the eye strain that comes from hours in front of digital screens. The company required a name for this line extension to the Biofinity family.
Additionally, CooperVision had figured out how to enhance user comfort with its two-week lenses, and needed a line extension name for this product as well.
Strategy
For the Biofinity extended screen time lens, we identified four key naming themes: digital lifestyle, vitality, healing properties, and empowerment. We evaluated names by how well they expressed each of these themes, for how well they combined with the Biofinity family name, and for their international usage potential. Our final recommendation: Biofinity Energys, is a coined name that suggests vitality and empowerment, is understandable and legally protectable around the world, and telegraphs a clear benefit to consumers.
For the Avaira lens, we recommended name Avaira Vitality, to convey the natural feel that would enable user comfort for the duration of each 2-week period. The new lens would also breathe new vitality into the Avaira product line.
Results
Biofinity Energys debuted at the 2017 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and was named a “winning innovation in technology.” Both line extensions gave first mover advantage to CooperVision, while imitator products from Johnson & Johnson proved the strong market potential for each product.
