What do you know about brand architecture? Is it the same like when you build a house? Well, yes it is practically when you build a new building, you will have a blueprint that can ease you or others to see the biggest concept. Brand architecture is a structure that can ease you and the consumers to see the biggest concept of the brands. Brand architecture is a structure that consists of two main functions – internal and external functions. Internal function in brand architecture is the structure that helps marketers to determine their products and services in order to share or introduce it to the public. In this term, it related with their names, logos, symbols, etc. and how to apply it into new or existing products. Meanwhile, external function is the structure that helps to organizes products, brands, and services in order to simplify the audience accessibility and one of the strategic ways to relate it easily with the brand.
Brand architecture has 3 common types, which is:
1. Branded House
The brand master is always present and easily transferred to the extensions. All sub-brands use the same master but in different description. For example, Google Cooperation that have other sub-brands which is Google Books, Google Videos, Google Maps, Google Translate. It is something that we commonly use and hear right? All of it has the same brand master in front of the sub-brands that shows the main master.
2. Individual or House of Brands
This type is consists of various brand that each of the sub-brand operates independently. Individual or house of brands has separate market share and profits. This structure can protect the master brand from brand extensions also one another.
3. Hybrid or Endorsed Brand
The combination of two types brand in some companies that requires brand management standard and it puts more source inputs. This is one of the common types that can get multi advantages. Coca-Cola and GE for example, they have other products such as Coca-Cola, Minute Maid, and Sprite. The brands have their own different strength and weakness.
According to Kevin Lane Keller, brand architecture role in the organization is to maintain brand image and clarify brand awareness. It helps both organization and consumers to have a clear knowledge about the company, products and service. So, what are the right steps to develop a brand architecture strategy in order to achieve it? There are 3 simple steps that you can follow:
(1) Find the potential or the unique side of your brand, because it will leave a market footprint in public eye especially and newsworthy for media publicity. You will eventually get a free advertisement because of your valuable product.
(2) You need to identify the product and service extensions in order to achieve the objective of your company.
(3) Specifying and positioning the brand elements that associated with the products and services of your brand.
That is few simple strategies that you can implement in your business and an insight about brand architecture that also important in running your company. Stay tuned to get a lot of new insight about branding!
