The tattoo-themed streetwear clothing brand Ed Hardy recently started putting their brand name on an unexpected product— Wine. Although stranger things have been done in the name of branding, this initiative is noteworthy because of the differing brand perceptions and target markets of streetwear as opposed to wine.

Raw, wild, naughty and unconventional - that's how most would describe the Ed Hardy Clothing Brand. Ed Hardy creator Christian Audigier is slowly building and expanding Ed Hardy's brand range, with his graphic designs appearing on many types of merchandise, including T-shirts, purses, perfume, socks, sunglasses, barware, bedding, swimwear and underwear. Audigier even has plans to create a new line of Ed Hardy toothbrushes with the Beverly Hills celebrity dentist Eric Fugier. But will these seemingly random applications of the Ed Hardy brand dilute their brand identity and confuse consumers?

For example, wine drinking is often associated with sophistication, enjoyment, and relaxation, whereas the Ed Hardy brand is thought of as edgy and uncouth. Most wines target older and affluent market segments, but Ed Hardy targets young and risky trend setters. Gene Schaeffer, Vice President of Nicolas Wines, the importer of the Ed Hardy wine from France’s Castel Group, says "There's nothing really new and exciting in the wine business. When this idea came along I thought we could develop new wine drinkers."

Ed Hardy wines might be good for the wine industry, but is a wine line good for the Ed Hardy brand? This time, it seems Audigier may have taken it too far. Consumers feel that he is putting his name on anything and everything and diminishing his brand image. It may be time for Ed Hardy to reassess their brand strategy to see where they stand in the eyes of consumers before putting their logo on other assorted products.