Line Logic™ on the bow tie
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/10610420610668603 |
| Date | 01 April 2006 |
| Published date | 01 April 2006 |
| Pages | 168-172 |
| Author | Doug Reffue,Victoria L. Crittenden |
| Subject Matter | Marketing |
Line Logiceon the bow tie
Doug Reffue
Yankee Candle Company, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA, and
Victoria L. Crittenden
Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this article is to present Line Logiceas a means of developing and building a company’s portfolio of products.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses a sporting goods company in the USA as a case study to portray the implementation of Line
Logice.
Findings – An extensive analysis of the company and its implementation of the Line Logicemethodology found that the company was operating in
conjunction with a bow tie channel strategy.
Research limitations/implications – A case study does an excellent job of capturing phenomena at a particular company. The Line Logice
framework needs to be explored and reported in various companies, thus allowing multiple sources of data to highlight strengths and weaknesses of
the Line Logicemethodology.
Practical implications – There is no magic formula or prescription for managing a company’s line of product offerings. Line Logiceoffers a
disciplined approach to creating and presenting a full complement of product choices. As shown here, the implementation of Line Logiceassists
companies in understanding both strategic and tactical issues related to competitors and channel members.
Originality/value – While there are companies that execute some of the Line Logicesystem, this paper illustrates the importance of line logic in the
sporting goods industry. Additionally, the paper introduces the concept of the bow tie in product line planning.
Keywords Product management, Product development, Product design, Brand extensions, Case studies
Paper type Case study
An executive summary for managers and executive
readers can be found at the end of this article.
Building successful product lines is a unique blend of art and
science that requires input from many different groups within
the organization – groups that are contributing functionally
specific talents in the hopes of developing a balanced and
logical product line to meet the varying demands of
consumers. From a designer’s perspective, as he or she toils
over shapes, colors, and graphics that form the aesthetics of
the product line, the main objective may be to maintain
economies of scale with components and design variables.
From a marketer’s perspective, the overarching desire may be
to keep customers from switching brands, instill customer
loyalty, and/or allow the firm to charge higher prices.
Regardless of the functional motivation, however, line
extensions have become a powerful tool i n a product
manager’s toolbox, and managing these products and
brands in today’s fast-paced business world requires an
unprecedented degree of cohesiveness and forethought.
Product line managers often seek line extensions in an
attempt to increase their market share and, ultimately,
profitability. Additionally, line extensions are thought to be
a method of pre-empting competitive entry. However, there is
also fear that too many choices can dilute a brand’s image,
thus hurting brand performance. There is no magic formula
or prescription for line extensions, and product managers
continually wrestle with how to better manage the logic of
their company’s product offerings. The purpose here is to
present Line Logiceas a means of developing and building a
company’s portfolio of products.
An illustrative composite of how Line Logicewas utilized
by a small sporting goods company is provided as a case in
point. An extensive analysis of the company and its line logic
with respect to its field hockey product line system found that
the company was operating in conjunction with a “bow tie”
channel strategy. Critical to the company’s long-term success
in the field hockey category was how to address the channel
strategy issues given the company’s successful implementation
of Line Logice.
Line Logice
Several years ago, Quelch (2002), a prominent brand
marketing scholar, suggested “Don’t forget who brought
you to the dance, don’t overdo the line extensions and don’t
lose the product-line logic”. With respect to the logic of the
product line, Quelch went on to advocate the need for clarity
and succinctness in a company’s product portfolio. Line
Logiceoffers just such a disciplined approach to creating and
presenting a full complement of product choices.
The six interrelated elements in Line Logiceare:
1 segmentation;
2 naming conventions;
3 design elements;
4 tiered feature sets;
5 pricing; and
6 packaging.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
15/3 (2006) 168–172
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/10610420610668603]
168
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