The first step to achieving a clear brand focus is to map out what we call your ．Brand Family・: that is, the number of brands you need to create or retain and the nature of the relationship between each of them.
This might lead to any one of four broad Brand Family structures outlined below (using the hospitality industry as a guide).
- Monolithic
For example, Four Seasons uses a single brand to target a homogenous audience group worldwide.
- Strong Endorsement
Hyatt, where the long-established corporate brand dominates, but reflects differences in target customer groups and product offerings through the creation of Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency.
- Loose Endorsement
Where the ．offspring・ brand dominates to accentuate differentiation from the parent brand, but where an endorsement from the parent adds a sense of scale and credibility. Traders by Shangri-La is such an example.
- Independent
Where the parent and offspring brands are not seen to provide any mutual reinforcement. Marriott and Ritz Carlton is such a relationship. There is no Marriott endorsement of the Ritz Carlton brand.
Our guiding ．Brand Family・ principle for clients is to create the least number of brands that can credibly cover the breadth of audiences they serve and the range of offerings they provide.
Once you・ve determined the number of brands in the family and the relationship between them you subsequently need to define the Brand DNA for each family member » |
