Wearing Bic Underwear

Wearing Bic Underwear

As a child, I looked forward to entering Class 4 at Coastal Academy School so that I could choose and use a pen. The two main brands available were Speedo and Bic. Hey, let’s not get too nostalgic now… 🤣

To be honest, I didn't really care which brand I used at first, but eventually, I fell in love with Bic pens. They felt just right in my hands and wrote so smoothly, especially the fine-tip ones. I even used to make these weird jets and spaceships out of the pen tops. Bic owned a space in my mind – if anyone said ‘Bic’, I thought ‘pen’. But then, I learned of Bic razors and lighters – all disposable plastic items. All was well until I came across Bic underwear in my studies!

Why Bic Underwear

You see, in 1998, Bic decided to expand its product line even further by introducing disposable pantyhoses. For some bizarre reason, they believed that their brand name was strong enough to apply to a whole different category. After all, their other products already had the element of being disposable, so why not ride on that? Unfortunately, this marked one of the most spectacular branding failures ever.

Why Bic Underwear failed

There were 3 main reasons why the brand failed on this front:

1. Brand Reputation

Bic was associated with "disposable," but not necessarily with "disposable fashion." When the Bic brand was used on underwear, the connection between the two was lost. Brands like Coca-cola are associated with soda, Apple with computers, and Tesla with cars. Bic, on the other hand, was associated with plastics. While the element of disposability was there, Bic failed to win the trust of its audience.

2. Experience

Bic had no experience in producing clothing or textile products, and they underestimated the complexity of the market. While BIC's products had a reputation for being reliable and affordable, consumers expected more from their underwear. The product's quality and design did not meet the expectations of the target audience, who were looking for more stylish and comfortable options.

3. Competition

By entering the underwear industry, Bic declared a brand war against more established brands. These brands had a loyal customer base and an established reputation for producing quality and stylish products. BIC could not compete with them in terms of design, quality, and pricing.

Takeaways

Adding a product line in a different category is known as having line extensions. This is not an advisable move. Many entrepreneurs follow this playbook, thinking they can apply their brand to anything. However, this strategy can dilute the brand's position in the audience's mind and use the resources of the first brand (money, time, and team). Soon, both brands start struggling, and if not careful, both die.

Don't pursue a second stream of income if the first is not streaming. It is a bad entrepreneur habit. You will call yourself a serial entrepreneur while all you are is a man/woman with little resilience.

Instead, focus on improving the first brand before branching out. Only launch a second product line when it's time, and, even then, avoid feeding off the first brand.

Wishing you the best!

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