How an organization structures and names the brands within its portfolio. There are three main types of brand architecture systems: monolithic, where the corporate name is used on all products and services offered by the company; endorsed, where all sub-brands are linked to the corporate brand by means of either a verbal or visual endorsement; and freestanding, where the corporate brand operates merely as a holding company, and each product or service is individually branded for its target market. It also clarifies and organizes the type, number, relationship and purpose of brands. Brand architecture is not necessarily the organizational structure, but rather the way in which the company would like the marketplace to understand its business breadth, depth and how an organization structures and names the brands within its portfolio. Here are examples of the three main types of brand architecture system: monolithic, Nike; endorsed, Nestle; and freestanding, Procter & Gamble.
Brand architecture is the structure of brands within an organizational entity. It is the way in which the brands within a company’s portfolio are related to, and differentiated from, one another. The architecture should define the different leagues of branding within the organisation; how the corporate brand and sub-brands relate to and support each other; and how the sub-brands reflect or reinforce the core purpose of the corporate brand to which they belong.