What Is Brand Architecture And How Can It Help Your WAHM Business?
Brand architecture is a concept that can prove immensely useful in promoting the brand of a WAHM company and its products. Everybody from small work at home mom business ventures to multinational conglomerates are always on the lookout for strategies that will help them in brand management and improving their sales figure. So here is a look at what it is and how you can incorporate it in your business:
On this Page:
What Is Brand Architecture?
The brand architecture is the process of devising a plan that optimally accommodates all product brands within an organization. For instance, the company Virgin, offers several services from transportation to cellular network all under the umbrella of the company brand name. It is a way in which various products or sub brands in a company's portfolio can be differentiated and/or related to support one and other. Through the architecture, you can ensure that diverse products reflect the core brand image of the business or company. For instance, in the virgin example one of the core brand traits is reliability whether you are taking a Virgin train or using their cellular network.
The Types of Brand Architecture Systems
There are three types of brand architecture systems:- Diversified: In this option each sub brand is marketed individually with little or no reference to the parent company and its brand image.
- Hybrid: Where all sub brands are linked to the brand image of the parent company through visual or verbal endorsements.
- Unitary: in this type of brand architecture, all products marketed by the parent company bear its corporate name.
What Type Should Be Used For A Startup?
Since you are trying to establish your credibility in the market, the best solution for a startup would be unitary brand architecture because you want the customers to remember your brand and associate it with the traits of your company through systematic repetition of the brand logo, name, etc.
Tips on how can you incorporate brand architecture in your business strategy:- The key to developing a successful brand architecture is to understand the target market so that you can devise a systematic positioning strategy and statement that meets the demand of the market.
- The sub brands should be developed based on a study of the different segments of the market while the company's brand or the parent brand should help to tie these different strategies together.
- The architecture should not be incorporated to simplify things for the internal audience rather the strategies should be designed with the external audience in mind and how they perceive the parent brand.
- At the end of the day, you are trying to wow your consumers with a fantastic experience.
The Benefits
- It helps to provide leverage to the existing brands and future extensions through marketing efficiencies
- Helps to build the visual identity of a company
- As your company/business grows, brand architecture will help you to determine investment priorities and what should be done with newly acquired brands
- It is vital for competitive advantage because it provides optimal market coverage based on a thorough analysis of the varying market segments
- It also helps to identify gaps and clarify brand strategy
The Keys to Brand Architecture
Synergy: There should exist a relationship between the different brands offered by a business.
Leverage: Brand architecture should allow flexibility for future growth
Clarity: It should help to provide clarity to the consumers.
