Overextended and Uninformed
In the fall of 2021, news broke that Richard Branson’s brainchild Virgin Group would pursue yet another brand extension, launching the Virgin Voyages cruise line in the United States. The choice to enter the cruise industry represented the latest of Branson’s many ideas for the parent brand, which is also well-known for its record label, airline, cellular phone service, e-commerce platform, among other things.
In total, Virgin Group encompasses more than 60 diverse sub-brands across a wide array of product categories and industries.
The company (and Branson) are often criticized for being entirely unfocused and grossly overextended, with many consumers asking, “What does Virgin do, exactly?” When taken altogether, the brand portfolio seems to be lacking a clear strategy, vision, and intent, and with each new extension, the core meaning of the Virgin Group becomes increasingly diluted.
While the vast array of Branson’s business ventures may have attracted new customers to Virgin, they haven’t necessarily done so in a strategic, scalable, or sustainable manner; constantly delving into new markets and industries has likely done more harm than good for the parent brand.
