Line Extensions are a lighter touch exercise than Brand Extensions, but they can carry many of the same risks (e.g. dilute the core brand, cannibalize sales). In practice they’re not usually as major a decision as extending your parent brand to another category altogether (e.g. X brewing > X hard seltzer).

Line Extensions are a common approach when building out a seasonal release calendar. Introducing a more citrus-forward line of a fan-favorite beer during the summer could get people excited about your brand without sacrificing long term sales since it will be replaced with a more seasonally-appropriate variant once Autumn rolls around.

The same caveats for Brand Extensions apply here. Line Extend too many times and you can dilute the power and relevance of your parent brand.