Brand architecture is widely discusses in the business and companies while talking about the different brands of the same business. But the problem is that the importance of brand architecture is not properly understood. It is the method or way by which the different brands of the company are interrelated. It is also termed as the structure of brands in the company’s portfolio. A company can have a single brand or may have different multiple brands, some are main brands; the others are sub brands for supporting the main brands etc. So the brand architecture is the integrated process of establishing the brand and its relationship with the company’s other brands.
There are mainly three types of brand architecture in any organization or businessCorporate brand or umbrella brand. It means that company has a single brand which appears or shows on all the products and services.
Endorsed brand or sub brand, sometimes called “a house of brands”
Individual brand. In this brand each product of the company has its individual brand representing that product. Consumer may not know actually the parent company that owns all these brands.
Brand architecture makes the connection among all the brands whether it is a corporate or master brand, product brand or individual brand.
Great architecture is essential to the business as it has all the details on which brand depends and which are important for touching the consumer’s thoughts and desires.
Normally in small business the brand architecture is simply the compilation of documents which gives the characteristics of brand architecture and the essential guidelines to the marketers. But in detail the brand architecture is a very long process.
The brand architecture process consists of following steps.
STEP 1: Brand is used as a reference for the buying and selling decisions for providing the excellent level of satisfaction to the customers.
STEP 2: In this step the brand characteristics are defined and brand personality is revealed to customers. Like a caring mother, an expressive connection and emotional stability is maintained among customers and brand personality.
STEP 3: When the personality is established about the brand, next step is to develop a brand icon. It’s just like the steps of Maslow’s Hierarchy of need theory in which ladder is moved upwards. Brand icon is established in the minds of customer to always stay on the top.
STEP 4: At this stage the brand is the solid statement of the company and the company is recognized by that brand.
This whole process makes the brand architecture visible and clear to the targeted customers. But is very critical decision to choose which brand architecture should be used. For introducing new product, corporate brand should be used. If another company is being acquired, then individual branding is best. Sub brands are between the individual and corporate brands. Before choosing the right brand architecture, business should have a look on the pros and cons of that brands architecture.