Problems arise when there is a lack of fit and the brand is stretched too far, or in an indiscriminate and undisciplined way, as was the case with the Gucci brand. The parent brand may not be seen to add any value to the extension or may receive undesirable associations as a result of the extension. The need for the extension to fit the parent brand again underlines the importance of understanding what the brand means to its consumers in the first place. Ascertaining brand meaning is both the first step in estimating the chances of success of a given extension and a prerequisite for the generation of new brand extension ideas