Apply It 15.1: Product

  • Recognize common product categories
  • Understand what a branding strategy is
  • Understand the product life cycle
  • Understand the stages of the new-product development process
  • Understand different marketing considerations to think about during the product life cycle

Branding and Strategic Value

This video examines Costco’s development of their store brand, Kirkland Signature, which accounts for about one-third of the company’s sales. You’ll see this video case study again later in the module.

You can view the transcript for “Why Costco Went All in on Kirkland — and How It Paid Off” here (opens in new window).

How did Costco’s decision to consolidate multiple private labels into a single “Kirkland Signature” brand challenge conventional retail wisdom at the time?