Movie sequels are everywhere. We took the kids to see Moana 2 today, and it feels like everything gets a part two these days — sometimes even decades after the original.

In 2024 alone there was Gladiator 2, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Coming 2 America, Mufasa (aka Lion King 2), Inside Out 2 … it could be a long list if I went on, and that’s just for first-round sequels. Many get 3s, 4s, 6s or more.

The reason is simple: customers who loved the original crave more.

It’s the same with products.

Look at Instant Pot. After dominating the pressure cooker market, they recognized their customers trusted the brand for convenient cooking. Air fryers were a natural next step. Same promise, new technology. Their audience followed, salivary glands pre-primed.

In I Need That, I explain how our dog brain loves familiar things that promise new rewards. In fact, the MAYA principle (Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable) proves it.

Smart product makers tap this by creating variations that feel both comfortable and adventurous.

Some approaches that work:

• Premium versions with higher margins (think iPhone Pro)
• Simplified versions at lower price points (Kindle Basic)
• Complementary products (Peloton’s weights and apparel)
• New category entries (Stanley’s tumblers after their thermoses)

But not every sequel succeeds.

Nintendo’s Virtual Boy tried to follow Game Boy’s massive success with 3D gaming, but the red-only graphics and awkward headset literally gave users headaches.

BlackBerry’s PlayBook tablet attempted to leverage their smartphone dominance but bizarrely launched without their killer email app — the very thing people loved about BlackBerry.

These failures came from misunderstanding what customers truly valued about the original hits. Game Boy won because it was portable and accessible — not so much because players were craving immersive 3D. BlackBerry was about seamless communication, but they stripped that out of their tablet.

So, the trick is identifying which elements of your success are repeatable.

What did customers really fall in love with?

Was it the specific function, or something deeper like convenience, status, or community?

Action for you: Look at your successful product (or one you admire). What sequel could you create that maintains the essence customers love while offering something fresh?

Laurier

P.S. Oftentimes the best sequel isn’t the most obvious one. Who knew Stanley’s ancient thermos design would lead to viral Barbie tumblers?