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Hooters Air
Here's a look at seven brand extensions that are a real stretch
In 2003, the restaurant chain known for scantily clad waitresses launched a brand extension skyward with Hooters Air. The fledgling airline ceased commercial flights in spring 2006, although the planes (and scantily clad flight attendants) are now available for chartered flights. The company blames the failure on the general slump in the airline industry. Sure, the post-September 11 travel environment and rising fuel costs pose serious challenges for airlines, but that wasn't the only problem. First of all, the airline business model requires a broader customer base than a niche restaurant chain. Also, Hooters' beer-and-chicken-wings demographic doesn't necessarily include lots of frequent flyers.