16. Brand Architecture Examples
• A number of brand architecture models have been developed in recent years,
though most of them have their roots in the seminal brand work of Dr. David
Aaker. Dr. Aaker coined the terms “branded house,” “house of brands,” and
endorsed brands, which are three different types of brand architecture
approaches. While other brand architecture examples exist (i.e., some talk about
a “monolithic,” “endorsed,” and “freestanding”), the basic concepts are the
same, relating to how near or close brands should be managed perceptually, and
all should be considered in developing and managing your organization’s brand
architecture strategy.
17. Three Brand Architecture Models
• Branded House (also called a monolithic brand) emphasizes a single master
brand, that sits over of the other brands within an organization. This is a
particularly good option when the products are in the same category or offer a
similar set of benefits. The basic concept is to “put more wood behind” the
arrow, essentially gaining economic leverage by investing at the master brand
level, and then using product names or descriptors to call out product-level
attributes. BMW and Mercedes are examples of the branded house approach.
18.
19. House of Brands
• House of Brands (also called freestanding brands) are designed to stand entirely
on their own in the marketplace. This allows an organization to develop a
portfolio of brands, each with a unique brand positioning tailored to a particular
product or market segment. General Motors — and its family of brands — is
considered a house of brands example.
20.
21. Endorsed Brands
• Endorsed Brands fall somewhere in the middle. Here, brands are combined in
such a way that one is designed to work in concert with the other. There are
numerous examples of this strategy: Think Courtyard By Marriott, Polo by Ralph
Lauren, Microsoft Windows, and the like. Honda Motor Company uses an
endorsed brand strategy, as shown here:
