Everyone Wants to be a Star

BLOG BY DAVE CHEN
With the success of Startbucks brand extension of producing "Akeelah the Bee" through Starbucks Entertainment, companies seem to be jumping on the band wagon.
Grey Goose Vodka partnered with Sundance Channel to produce a series called "Iconolclasts" in which two innovators with similar visions share their expertise (comedian David Chappell and writer Maya Angelou are featured in an episode). Given the fact that Sundance Channel will not allow Grey Goose to air their commercials on the ad-free chanell, Grey Goose Entertainment is clearing borrowing hte meaning of the Sundance Channel and the iconoclasts to strengthen Grey Goose Vodka's own meaning via off-air commercials.
Mass retailer Target is also venturing into the entertainment arena by producing "Target Presents 'Tony Bennett: An American Classic' World Premiere
". This MTV Divas Live-type production was aired on NBC and freatures today's young artists such as Christina Aguilera, Michael Buble, and John Legend. To me, this brand extension of Target's seemed to be an effort to attract the older baby-boomer audience that are fans of Tony's. This seems natural since the current ad campaigns are edgy, hip, and focused on the younger demographic. (The show's rating was horrible according to Nielsons, since the network placed the even in the same time slot as another networks highly popular award show)
For me, I think these were less than successful brand extensions. Though I understand why Grey Goose would want to attract the intellectual clientelle since the Grey Goose image has always been one of sophistication and urbanity. However, the audience of Sundance seem to be more indie-film buffs and less main stream than Grey Goose. As for Target, i think the Tony Bennet event was a flop mainly due to netweork politics. I think if Target can debut a sophomore production that is in sync with its modern image and the hip "Target experience", they might fair better.

What do you guys think?