Brand Architecture

- Structuring the Brand-Product

Relationship

Types of Brand
Type 1: Single Brand Across Organization

Organization
Brand
IBM
Goldman Sachs
Greenpeace

Individual
Brands*

None

Harvard
University
Type 2: Endorsed Brands

Type 3: House of Brands

Microsoft

Windows

Sony

Playstation 2

McDonalds

Big Mac

Ralph Lauren

Polo

Procter &
Gamble

Pampers

LVMH Group

Dom Perignon

What is Brand Architecture?

A Guiding Framework for Brand Portfolio
Management
Structure and organization of product/brand
portfolio in terms of naming, positioning and
marketing.
Serves as a guiding framework for long term brand
portfolio management.

Contd..

What is Brand Architecture?

A Structure that Specifies Brand Roles &
Relationships
Brand architecture is an organizing structure of the
brand portfolio that specifies brand roles and the
nature of relationships between brands.
-

David Aaker & Erich Joachimsthaler

Brand Leadership, The Free Press, 2000

Contd..

What is Brand Architecture?

A Logical System for Promoting Sales &
Building Long-Term Brand Capital
Clarifies the overall offer and structure to
prospective buyers
Helps sales promotion in the short term and
establishment of brand-capital in the medium term
Anticipates possible evolutions in product lines and
ranges in order to be applicable to them

Brand Architecture
Origins of the Concept & Terminology
1989: Olins Wally, Corporate Identity, - Three
branding structures - monolithic, endorsed and
branded.
1994: Laforet Sylvie & Saunders John, Managing
Brand Portfolios: How the Leaders Do It, Journal of
Advertising Research, Sep 1994 Three types of brand
structures and hierarchies - corporate dominant,
product dominant and mixed/hybrid.
1995: Uncles, Cocks & Macrae, Brand Architecture:
Reconfiguring Organisations for Effective Brand
Management, Journal of Brand Management - First
journal paper on BA
Contd..

Brand Architecture
Origins of the Concept & Terminology
1996: Macrae C, The Brand Chartering Handbook,
Chapter on BA; banner brands & sub-brands
1997: Kapferer Jean-Nol, Strategic Brand
Management Chapter on BA; - six brand
architecture models based on two main functions
of a brand
2000: Aaker, D. & Joachimsthaler, E., Brand
Leadership well-focused definition of brand
architecture and - Brand Relationship Spectrum
which identifies roles played by different types of
brands

Brand Function: INDICATOR OF ORIGIN

Endorsing brand
Source brand
Umbrella brand

Range brand

Line brand

Generic brand

Product brand
Brand Function: PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION

Kapferers Brand Architecture1997

Models
Product Brand: Individual brand names become the
indication of product identity
Line Brand: Exploits a successful concept by
extending it to related/complementary products
Range Brand: A single promise or brand concept is
used to promote a range of products belonging to
the same area of competence

Contd..

Kapferers Brand Architecture1997

Models

Umbrella Brand: One brand supports diverse ranges

of products in different markets; though brand name
is same marketing & communication could be
different

Source Brand: Two-tier branding comprising

source brand and individual product brand; provides
authenticity and differentiation
Endorsing Brand: Two-tier branding, but with
daughter brand in the drivers seat; parent brand
stands in the background as a guarantor

Toilet
Soap

LUX

INTERNATIONAL
LUX

Body/ Shampoo
Face (sachet &
Wash small pack)

Body/
Face
Wash

Toilet
Soap

Sunsilk
Naturals

Sunsilk
Shampoo
Conditioner

Sunsilk
Hair Expert
Nourishing Conditioner
Leave On
Intensive Conditioner

Shampoo
Combing Lotion

Sunsilk
Pro-Colour
Hair dye for Indian
hair shades

Sunsilk
Colour Shine
Shampoo
Nourishing Conditioner
Leave On

PERSONAL WASH

Toilet
Soap

Body
Wash

Face
Wash

1. Lux

Lux

Lux

2. Lifebuoy

SKIN CARE HAIR CARE DEODORANTS

Hand
Wash

Shampoo/
Conditioner

Spray/
Roll On

Lux
Lifebuoy

3. Liril

Talc

Lifebuoy
Liril

4. Hamam
5. Breeze
6. Dove
7. Pears
8. Rexona

Dove

Dove
Pears
Rexona

2000
Brand Relationship
Spectrum

Brand
Relationship
Spectrum tool to help brand
by
Aaker
& Joachimsthaler
strategists to build appropriate brand architectures

Two extreme models of brand architecture

Branded House and House of Brands & several
intermediate levels

house of brands (not connected, shadow endorser)

endorsed brands (token endorsement, linked name,
strong endorsement)

sub-brands (co-drivers, master brand as driver)

branded house (different identity, same identity).

Brand Relationship Spectrum

Branded
House

Same
Identity

Different
Identity

GE Capital

Virgin

BMW

GE
Appliance

Levis
Europe
Levis US

Endorsed
brands

Sub-brands

Master
Brand as
Driver

CoDrivers

Strong
Endorsement

Toyota
Corolla

Ford
Taurus

HP
Deskjet

Sony
Walkman

House of
Brands

Linked
Name

Token
Endorse
ment

Shadow
Endorser

Not
Connected

Post-It
by 3M

Nestea

Universal
A Sony
Co.

Touchstone
(Disney)

MTV
(Viacom)

Microsoft
Office

Citi
Financial

Clean &
Clear
by J&J

Lexus
(Toyota)

KFC
(Yum!
Brands)

L'Orals Multi-Brand Matrix

Architecture
Showing the Major
Master
Luxury
ProductsBrands
Division

Consumer Products
Division

L'Oral Paris
Garnier
Maybelline New York
SoftSheen Carson
Le Club des Crateurs
de Beaute

Professional Products
Division

L'Oral Professionnel
Krastase
RedKen 5th Avenue NYC
Matrix
Mizani

Lancme
Biotherm
Helena Rubinstein
Kiehls
Shu Uemura

Giorgio Armani
Ralph Lauren
Cacharel
Victor & Rolf
Diesel

Active Cosmetics Department

Vichy
La Roche-Posay
Innov
SkinCeuticals

Conclusion
Brand architecture is of strategic importance and
has long term implications for brand management
There are several alternative models of brand
architecture, each with its advantages &
disadvantages
Companies choose one or the other or a mixed
model for decision-making regarding their brand
structure.