Harp Lime: Another brand extension on the path of extinction

For Guinness Nigeria Plc, the Nigerian lager market can still accommodate more lager brands. So the egg heads at the corporate office of the brewery giant thought when in late 2011 they introduced Harp Lime, an extension of its Harp larger into the market.Other brands from the stable of Guinness are Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Smirnoff Ice, Harp Lager, Satzenbrau Pilsner Lager, Gordon's Spark, Malta Guinness, Guinness Extra Smooth and Armstrong.While managers of the company might be rejoicing over the berth of the new product, many analysts are of the opinion that it was not yet time to celebrate.'If our experiences in the past are anything to go by, I can tell you that it was not yet time to celebrate the arrival of Harp Lime, an extention of the mother Harp Lager brand into the market,' a brand management consultant who craved for anonymity said.He added, ' Very few brand extensions have been able to survive in the market.'Many observers in the industry are still unable to ascribe a particular reason for the introduction of Harp Lime. Although, some see the launch of it as a mere jamboree, a mere adventure so to speak.The observers argued that even, Harp, the mother brand, has not been able to compete favourably well with its major competitor.A cursory look at the marketing field indicates lots of brand extensions that have gone into oblivion. Most noticeably is that of Gulder Max, an extension of the Gulder brand, from the stable of Nigerian Breweries Plc.Gulder Max, struggled for patronage until its eventual disappereance from the market.'It is not easy to switch over to another brand. Especially, when you are getting the desired satisfaction from the one you are at present loyal to,' David Ezinwa, a banker said.'Many of us are loyal to Gulder and we do not see any reason to switch over to Gulder Max when we cannot say this is the additional benefit the extension is offering,' he added.What gap in the market is Harp Lime coming to fill' How would Guinness Nigeria convince lager drinkers to embrace the new product, when there is a perception that anything Lime is not good for men, its major consumers'The next few months will determine the survival or otherwise of the product.
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