LAUNCH ABSURD MINI-PRODUCTS TO MAKE YOUR BRAND COOL

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

Research shows that launching products unrelated to a brand's core category makes people view the brand as cooler. Across 4 experiments with 1,454 participants and over 5,000 social media comments, unrelated extensions like KFC's fried chicken-scented nail polish or a hot pot brand's spicy toothpaste increased perceived coolness by up to 20%. The effect is stronger for popular brands and co-branded products, such as McDonald's being rated 9.7% cooler with its Adidas sneaker launch, and weaker when extensions are too close to the core category. The strategy works because it surprises consumers, creates humor, and signals creativity and rebellion.