Brand Architecture

GATE: Confirm brief before recommending an architecture model.

Phase 2: Recommend

Architecture Models

1. Branded House (Google model)

• One master brand, products are descriptive sub-brands
• Example: Google Maps, Google Drive, Google Photos
• Best when: parent brand has strong equity, products share an audience
• Risk: one product failure affects the whole family

2. House of Brands (P&G model)

• Independent brands with no visible parent connection
• Example: Tide, Pampers, Gillette (all P&G)
• Best when: products serve very different audiences
• Risk: no equity transfer between brands, expensive to build each one

3. Endorsed Brands (Marriott model)

• Sub-brands with visible parent brand endorsement
• Example: Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn by Marriott
• Best when: sub-brands need independence but benefit from parent credibility
• Risk: dilution if too many endorsed brands

4. Hybrid

• Mix of models for different parts of the portfolio
• Example: Apple (branded house for most products) + Beats (endorsed brand)
• Best when: portfolio is diverse with some shared and some distinct audiences

Recommendation Framework

Score each model on:

• Brand equity leverage (can you use the parent name?)
• Audience overlap (same people or different?)
• Risk tolerance (can one product's failure hurt others?)
• Budget (single brand is cheaper to maintain)

GATE: Present the recommended model with rationale and wait for approval.

Phase 3: Build

Deliverables

1. Brand Architecture Map

• Visual hierarchy showing parent and sub-brand relationships
• Naming convention for each level
• Visual identity relationship (shared colors? shared logo mark? independent?)

2. Naming Framework

• Naming pattern for current and future products
• Examples showing how new products would be named
• Rules for when to create a new brand vs. extend the existing one

3. Visual Relationship Guide

• How sub-brands visually connect to the parent (logo lockup, color family, typography)
• Logo co-branding rules (size ratio, placement, clear space)
• When to show the parent brand and when to hide it

4. Decision Framework for New Products

• Flowchart: when to add a sub-brand vs. a product feature vs. a new independent brand
• Criteria: audience match, brand fit, strategic importance, risk

Phase 4: Polish

Portfolio Management Rules

• Maximum sub-brands before customer confusion (typically 5-7)
• Retirement criteria for underperforming brands
• Annual portfolio review process

Communication Guide

How to explain the brand relationships to customers, partners, and team members clearly.

Example 1: SaaS Company with 3 Products

Model: Branded house. All products under the parent name: "Acme CRM," "Acme Analytics," "Acme Chat." Shared visual identity with color variations per product.

Example 2: Creator with Multiple Ventures

Model: Endorsed brands. Personal brand as endorser: "Founder's Newsletter" by [Name], "[Product Name]" by [Name]. Each venture has its own identity with the creator's name as trust signal.

Anti-Patterns

• No architecture at all — random product names with no visible connection waste the equity you have built. Structure creates clarity.
• Copying big company models — P&G's house of brands works because of billions in marketing budget. A solopreneur should almost always use a branded house.
• Too many sub-brands — 12 sub-brands dilute attention and confuse customers. Consolidate where possible.
• Changing architecture frequently — customers need time to learn your structure. Pick a model and commit for at least 2-3 years.
• Architecture that serves the org chart — brand structure should reflect how customers think, not how your company is organized internally.

Recovery

• Portfolio is already a mess: Audit all brands, identify the strongest, and create a migration plan to consolidate under a clear architecture.
• Two products with overlapping audiences: Consider merging into one product with feature tiers rather than maintaining two separate brands.
• User wants every product to feel independent: Show the cost — separate websites, separate social accounts, separate marketing budgets. Let the math inform the decision.
• Growing too fast to plan: Set the architecture model now with a naming framework. New products slot into the framework without requiring a new strategy each time.