Thus high-end televisions such as liquid crystal display (LCD) TVs, super flat TVs and projection TVs will be called `Tantus', while a select range of 14-inch to 29-inch colour televisions incorporating a new circuit is being called Hitron. The new range of frost free refrigerators scheduled for launch early next month will be called `Cool-Tech Dynamic' and the direct cool refrigerators sourced from a local manufacturer will be called `Ice World'.

Similarly, each of the other products such as airconditioners and washing machines will have a pet name.

The exercise is expected to enhance the brand pull of Samsung as the pet name would enable customers to clearly identify with the unique selling proposition (USP) of each product. ``The pet name will highlight one feature that is unique to the Samsung product,'' the companyspokesperson said.For instance, the Hitron series of televisions incorporating new circuit design in an advance chassis offers a three-fold benefit. The specially designed chassis reduces the risk of breakdown due to voltage fluctuations, captures weak transmission signals and significantly improves picture quality.

Commenting on the company's decision to extend sub-branding to all product categories, Samsung India vice-president, marketing, J H Park says: ``We have started using pet names for Samsung products this month onwards as we felt it would enable the customer to correlate the USP of the product through the pet name.''

Besides, when the line up of products is enhanced, as the company proposes to do later this month, the pet names would enable the customer to identify the Samsung product better, Park felt.

Samsung had begun the process of experimenting with sub-brands last year when it introduced the `Vision Plus' and `Zoom' series of televisions.

According to the company spokesperson, thecustomer response to the sub-branding has been very good so far. ``In the last one year, we noticed that customers ask specifically for a sub-brand such as Vision Plus,'' the spokesperson said. ``We have therefore decided to extend the sub-branding across all product categories.''

Sub-branding is a regular exercise at Samsung Electronics world-wide with sixty per cent of the subsidiaries using sub-brands to promote its products. The pet name used for the products may, however, vary from market to market.The spokesperson added that the company preferred not to use sub-brands in the first three years of operation usually, as in that phase it concentrates on building equity around `Samsung', the corporate brand.``Now, after three years, and having established our presence in the country and achieved success in establishing the brand in the country, we can introduce sub-brands without diluting the equity of the Samsung brand,'' the spokesperson said.