RIM to Blackberry: is it worth the Risk?

So RIM are officially Blackberry and I am in two opinions about the move.

Pro Blackberry:
RIM or Research In Motion initially were what their name implied, research, innovation & change. Blackberry is arguably their most successful brand, and not many would deny. Unfortunately of late, they haven't been able to keep up to their namesake and put their everything into a final last try the BlackBerry Q10 & Z10. This name change refers to the ultimate commitment a company can make to the brand, to show that they have complete faith in it. Literally a company going down with its flagship.

Con Blackberry:
Research in Motion as the name implies is not directly related to the telecommunication world, well if you ignore the Blackberry association. The name is innovative, and if there was a shift in resources to research & development from a technical perspective there is certainly hope for the brand. RIM were certainly one of the most innovative brands of their time, and with a shift in perspective it is possible they may regain it. However by committing to a name shift, they are certainly putting all their eggs in one basket, and is it really worth the risk?

RIM - New BlackBerry range to save the day?

So RIM is set to release their new range of BlackBerry'....about time I say!
It has been in the news awhile now, with no definitive release date, but that time seems to be drawing to a close.
While most manufacturers only release about one or two amazing models a year, RIM has gone all out with a release of 5...yes five new phones! So it's going to be a fantastic time for all BB lovers out there.
Reviews about the new phones, 2 of which are touchscreen and 3 normal, are generally quite positive, which is good news as RIM could certainly use the boost. The only thing that annoyed me was the long delay in the announcement to an actual release date. I'm not quite sure of the motives, maybe it was to keep their stock riding high for a longer period? Obviously that didn't work.
I found it quite annoying as I was looking at getting a new phone at the time and would have loved to get my hands on the new range, it seems I would have been waiting a long time...
It also leads me to question why release them all at once?? Sales boost?
Well all in all, I'm glad they are releasing soon, as RIM could certainly use all the help they can get to gain market share in an increasingly Android world.

Brand Extensions

Consistency is not always the name of the game, Virgin being a prime example. Although the Vigrin brand did not make it into the top 100 of Interbrand's list, it does deserve a special mention. It is one of the most well known brands operating within various industries, and while its in-consistency might send other brand enthusiasts reeling, it's one of the few that has been able to successfully pull off brand extensions, which are different from their core. 

Recently Virgin announced the global expansion of their Virgin Hotels which they are developing for the high-end traveler. These 4 star hotels will be targeted for the luxury business traveler and will be currently located in North America. More details about the project can be found in Silverstein's article Branson's next move.

The reason for Virgin's success, while I touched on it before, is got to do with their positioning and overall image, which is not based on functionality, but rather emotions such as fun, excitement, daring etc.. which according to Branson appeal to their chosen consumer segment or as they are termed the 'creative class' who can relate to the values of the company....so in other words who does not like to have fun? therefore allowing Virgin to expand into any segment where this is probable. 

Speaking of brand extensions, RIM have decided to enter into the world of tablet computers with a launch of their very own version, into an already crowded market. Is this a bid by RIM to support its brand by creating product extensions for wider appeal? Most likely the tablet would be purchased by existing Blackberry loyalists, and by hooking their customers on they would be following a similar path to Apple; and their creation of a fan base. This is quite a stretch for them, as most of their other competitors are technological companies who have previous experience in IT, unlike RIM for whom this would be a first, but while it is a stretch, playing devil's advocate one can argue that RIM stands for efficiency and effectiveness combined with innovation of mobile technology which is exactly what they will be achieving through the tablet. More information can be found in the article RIM readies answer to i-Pad (why is everything compared to the i-Pad??? a better differentiation is needed). 

Starbucks on the other hand is committed to protecting their trademark which involves suing other brands who copy their distinctive style, color and design of the logo, even if their small cafés who claim innocence. Although there is more to a brand than just its logo, like for Starbucks, its quality coffee, atmosphere etc. they are compelled to protect their rights. Always a tricky decision...what would you do?

Samsung as part of their promotion of the Galaxy Tab, have launched a YouTube video depicting the features of the product ... makes me wonder why couldn't Amazon do the same for the Kindle rather than changing their distribution strategy? 

On a final note Ford have released an app on the iPad to promote the 2011 Fiesta, which highlights the vehicle's features, connectivity and accessories. This is a rather dismal attempt by Ford, as the potential of social media is astounding, so by using it as as an online catalog is only a drop in the ocean.....when the limit is only your imagination.