Over time, the function of brand architecture has changed. Brand architecture used to be largely used to describe the various ways brands were arranged within a corporation, but as brands’ roles have evolved, so too has the definition of brand architecture. Today, a brand’s unification and increased significance in the lives of consumers are the primary goals. Why Your Business Needs a Brand Architecture
This article will examine the development of brand architecture, how it can be used to connect disparate brands, and why brand architecture is crucial to employ even in the initial phases of a company’s development.http://branding
What is brand architecture?
Brand architecture describes the process by which a business develops its brand identity. John Caples, a marketing guru, first used the phrase in his 2001 book Brand Architecture: How to Build Brands Through Identity.
A system called brand architecture organizes brands, goods, and services to make them easier for consumers to access and relate to.
Companies may grow their brands and raise awareness using the potent instrument of branding. Businesses frequently rely on visual features like logos, typefaces, colors, and other graphic design aspects in order to successfully deliver a message.
To give a company a solid identity, brand architecture is the key. This covers everything, from the organization’s logo to its overall color scheme.
A vision or mission statement serves as the foundation of a company. Then they decide which important parties will be involved in creating the brand’s identity. Designers, marketers, salespeople, and others are among these individuals.
The team can start generating ideas after they have identified all pertinent parties. They can think to themselves, “What do we want our brand to stand for?” in addition to “Who are our target customers?”
Types of brand architecture
The four fundamental types of brand architecture models are the branded house, the house of brands, subbrands, and the approved brand. Every option offers a unique set of advantages and disadvantages.
1. House of Brands
A house of brands detaches each extension and separates the house of brands from brand extensions. The master brand might therefore have rival brands below it.
A house of brands is an example of which is Proctor & Gamble. Many different products are owned by P&G. Every brand extension is unique from the others; for instance, Vicks cannot be confused with P&G or Pantene. (Or do you, perhaps?) Like all other brands, P&G is responsible for maintaining its own brand equity. If Bounce had a problem with its brand, no other brands would be impacted.
The fine print on the back of your Pampers or Crest toothpaste, however, makes mention of P&G. But how many people actually read the little print?
Here are some other popular examples of a house of brands architecture.
- Unilever. This company includes more than 400 brands such as Dove, Breyers, Hellman’s, Knorr, Lipton, Suave – and many more.
- Coca-Cola. In addition to soft drink options, this popular beverage company’s brands include Minute Maid, Dasani, Powerade, and Fuze Tea.
- The Kraft Heinz Company. Global brands include Velveeta, Jell-O, Grey Poupon, Lunchables, Oscar Mayer, and Maxwell House.
- General Motors. In addition to popular vehicle brands such as Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac, GM brands include Cruise, a self-driving car service, and Onstar, a vehicle safety and security system.
- PepsiCo. This company makes more than just your favorite Pepsi products. Other brands include Tropicana, Aquafina, Lay’s, Doritos, Tostitos, Sabra, Quaker Oats, and Sun Chips.
- Newell Brands. You may not have heard of Newell Brands, but you’ve likely heard of at least a handful of the company’s 150 individual brands: Sharpie, Yankee Candle, Crock-Pot, Mr. Coffee, and Rubbermaid.
2. Endorsed Brand or Hybrid Brand
Between the first two brand architectural ideas, an endorsed brand lies. A parent brand, similar to a house of brands, acts as an umbrella over a number of other connected brands, albeit those brands aren’t always going to have the same name as their parent. In contrast, the parent brand has a much bigger impact on children’s life in the endorsed brand model than it does in the house of brands.
Marriott is an illustration of an endorsed product.
One example of a hybrid brand structure is Marriott, where some brand extensions carry the parent’s name while others do not. This approach gives brands and names more freedom. Despite Marriott’s unequivocal endorsement of the majority of its brands, Sheraton live under the parent in a ‘House of Brands’ category.
3. Sub-Branding
Sub brands are connected to a parent brand and benefit from its backing. Sub brands have their own unique qualities in addition to sharing the same attributes, values, and message as the parent brand.
Apple, for instance, offers a variety of technological products. These products are promoted as Apple and support the parent firm even though they don’t have the Apple brand on them.
Although Apple is not a product in and of itself, each sub-brand leverages the value of the Apple brand by launching a range of goods to appeal to a variety of customers.
Does brand architecture aid large or small businesses?
Is the connection between your two or three product lines crucial? Would acquiring a rival or entering a new market damage the perceptions people already have of you? Is it possible for each brand to stand on its own, or would a parent brand’s support help by supporting the loyal patrons of your brand?
Though the above mentioned brand architectures are the most popular forms of structuring a brand, there are other concepts like the master brand and brand extension:
- A master brand is a high-level corporate brand that encompasses all branded products and services.
- A brand extension is a product or service introduced by a well-known brand name that falls into a different category than the brand’s other products or service
Now, the more architectures you add to your story, the more complicated it becomes. The real compass for deciding on brand architecture is threefold:
- What makes a firm or a product line authentic and aspirational?
- What does your audience find genuine and meaningful?
- What makes each competitive space unique?
While it’s typical to have two types of brand architecture — for example, Marriott – it’s uncommon to see a successful company use more than that. If you’re having trouble limiting yourself to two types of brand architecture, it’s time to take a look at your entire system. Dropping one could have the same effect as adding a third, while also simplifying your structure and storytelling.
Importance of Brand Architecture
1. A bold story will attract attention.
Every business has a story to tell, yet the most captivating components of that tale are commonly overlooked. Consolidating your brand allows you to explain why you formed your firm in the first place—what connects you, what unique talents you’ve developed, and why you got together in the first place. It will take research, synthesis, a communications plan, and creative execution to tell that narrative well.
2. Gain clarity in the marketplace
Instead of having a portfolio of companies that all appear and sound different, you may use a consistent visual and vocal identity to underline their link. Better yet, that clarity can boost your board of directors’, VCs’, and other stakeholders’ confidence.
3. Cross-selling to increase revenue
You can show the entire value of your bundled solutions—how they complement one other—when you effectively describe your story. This makes cross-selling between business units much easier.
4. Create a culture that is more open and accepting
A captivating unifying story can act as a rallying cry for your whole workforce, making everyone in different business divisions and locations feel like they’re fighting for the same cause. That’s why, while developing a new brand, it’s critical to arrange an internal launch to generate genuine buzz prior to the exterior launch.
Here are a few crucial points to remember
- Brand architecture, unlike legal or organizational architecture, is always focused on the outside world. What would be the most logical option for your customers? #Research can assist you in answering this question objectively.
- The bottom line is that clarity and messaging are critical. People will have a tougher difficulty understanding what your unique value proposition is if your architecture is unclear.
- Maintain a straightforward approach. Stick to one brand architecture per firm, but employ two MAX structures. When choosing an architecture, do a lot of study to completely understand the company’s offerings and strategy.
- The most important brand to develop over time is the dominant one. The creation of a core brand should be your top goal.
- New brands should not be created if an existing brand can be used.
- Marketing is about reaching out to as many people as possible through as many channels as possible, and removing friction between a customer and a purchase.
- The act of branding is to ensure that each company’s brand makes sense in relation to the others. While it may appear that marketing and branding are competing for the same aims, they actually complement each other:
Brand is the engine and marketing is the fuel that ignites it. Are you wondering which brand architecture is best for your company? Contact usBook A Consultation
How to Consolidate Your Brand and Why?
Consolidating brands is not something that can be accomplished in a single day. It involves a long-term commitment that includes research, synthesis, strategy, and implementation. This may entail:
- Interviews with customers and prospects to learn what they value and how they see the market and your organisation.
- A discovery session and internal interviews are used to determine what CEOs, subject matter experts, and other key stakeholders believe you should be saying.
- A communications audit to see how you’re communicating with the market right now.
- Conduct competitive research to learn about your competitors’ brand structures and communication methods.
- Creation of communications strategy, as well as internal and external brand launches
- The justification for enlisting the services of a third-party arbitrator
- A marketing firm can often provide significant value to a brand consolidation project. They can act as an unbiased observer who asks key questions and makes strategic recommendations without being swayed by office politics. Furthermore, your company doesn’t go through significant branding projects very often, whereas a branding firm works on multiple such projects each year, so they can bring a wealth of relevant knowledge.
Over the years, Digmot Agency has worked on a variety of branding projects in a wide range of industries. If you’re looking for expert brand architects, take a look at our https://digmot.com/book-a-consultation/
An expert partner can supply you with many brand architecture samples that have shown to be successful in your industry and niche. They may do the research to figure out which form of brand architecture is best for you and lead you in the correct direction. This way, regardless of how it’s structured, you can be rest assured that your brand—or brands—will be consistent.
Read Also: The Importance of Branding