What are we built on?
Brand architecture and brand strategy will be the main topic in our third session. The focus will mainly be on real companies and real strategy instead of just pure theory.
We were given a case to watch the brand films and commercials of some companies from different countries.
Sweden: Volvo, Feeling Good
Denmark: Carlsberg, Standing up for a friend
Finland: Koskenkorva, Vodka from a village
the USA: Apple, 1984 MacIntosh
Scotland: Johnnie Walker, The man who walked around the earth
The session's main problem:
Brand Architecture and Brand Strategy
With four learning objectives:
1) Compare the brand strategies and architectures of different companies. How and why are they different?
2) What brand architecture models do companies use?
3) Which brand architectures are good for different products and services?
4) Analyse the brand strategy and architecture of a chosen company
Before I start getting into the learning objectives, it is good to define the terms "Brand architecture" and "Brand strategy".
Brand Architecture is a system that organizes brands, products and services to help an audience access and relate to a brand. A successful Brand Architecture enables consumers to form opinions and preferences for an entire family of brands by interacting or learning about only one brand in that family. (Gravity Group)
Brand Strategy defines rules and guidelines on how, what, where, when and to whom you communicate your brand messages. A well-defined and executed brand strategy leads to consistent brand message, a strong emotional connection with customers, and higher brand equity. (Amplimark)
1) Compare the brand strategies and architectures of different companies. How and why are they different?
2) What brand architecture models do companies use?
There multiple different scenarios how to split brands into different architecture types. I am able to put brands into five different types that differ from each other. I will try give two companies as real life examples of these different models.
Branded House
In a branded house model, the company is combining its powerful corporate brand to different strong sub-brands.
House of Brands
House of brands consists of various individual brands which independently and obtain a separate market share and profits.
Endorsed Brands
Used when sub-brands are endorsed verbally or visually by a corporate brand.
Individual Brand
An architecture type where there is one single brand. Everything the company does and produces is under one brand.
Hybrid Brand
As the name says this model is a combination of two or more different models.
3) Which brand architectures are good for different products and services?
4) Analyse the brand strategy and architecture of a chosen company
Sources:
http://www.gravitygroup.com/blog/what-is-brand-architecture/
https://www.amplimark.com/brand-strategy/
