BK Boxers Leads Pack of Worst Line Extensions

What do Burger King underwear, Kellogg's hip-hop street wear and Allstate Green insurance have in common? They all were voted among the worst brand extensions of 2008.

Earlier this month, TippingSprung polled 689 Brandweek readers and other marketing professionals, online, about this year's flurry of line extensions. Among the other duds: Coca-Cola's RPet clothing at Wal-Mart, Playboy energy drink and the Disney Sleeping Beauty executive fountain pens priced at up to $1,200.

"The bad ideas keep flowing. It's amazing and there's nothing we can do to stop it," said Robert Sprung, co-founder of the TippingSprung marketing consultancy, which has been conducting the survey for five years. In past years, Precious Moments coffins, Hooters airlines, Cheetos lip balm and Salvador Dali deodorant won the dishonor of being selected for the list.

This year a number of factors, namely the rise of green marketing and the fall of the economy, helped shape some of the marketer's selections. Allstate Green insurance was spotlighted as a prime example of greenwashing, according to three quarters of respondents. The program offers paperless statements (like most institutions) and a $10 donation to a nonspecified organization. "There is nothing particularly green about it," said Martyn Tipping, TippingSprung co-founder.

Coke's RPet clothing line, made from recycled bottles, suffers from the fact that its plastic packaging is viewed as being a big part of problem, said Tipping. "Going green goes beyond just recycling and cutting back on paper. That's almost the cost of entry if you want to be green."

Almost 58 percent of respondents viewed the RPet line as more greenwashing than green.

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