This document provides an overview of brand architecture and positioning from AMATI & Associates. It discusses:
- Brand architecture models including monolithic, multi-brand, umbrella, endorsed brands, and umbrella with sub-brands. Examples of each are provided.
- The importance of understanding competitors, target customers, consumer insights, benefits, values, relationship-building statements, discriminators, and essence for effective brand positioning.
- A framework is presented for assessing each element of positioning, with an example given for many components. The interdependence of positioning dimensions is emphasized.
5. AMATI
& Associates
There is a range of possibilities for the brand architecture, from a one brand fits-all to the house of brands, which is a
container for many separate brands
Brand Architecture
5
MONOLITHIC BRAND MULTI-BRAND
STRATEGY
UMBRELLA
+LABELS
ENDORSED BRANDSUMBRELLA + SUB
• Strong one brand
recognition; ‘big’
• Efficient focus on one
brand
• Limits width of
assortment, or (if many
different products)
unclear position in
consumer mind; not
optimally effective
• Vulnerable
• Optimal proposition
per category / need
• Effective focus on
consumer needs; ‘close’
• Spreading the risks
• Difficult to manage; not
optimally efficient, not
1 focus
• Appears to be ‘smaller’
• Focus on umbrella; one
brand recognition; ‘big’
• Segmentation to meet
specific needs, or
category dos and donts
• Danger of short term
thinking, leading to
confusing label policies
• Vulnerable
• Optimal proposition
per category / need
• Effective focus on
consumer needs; ‘close’
• Additional ‘quality seal’
• Company recognition
• Difficult to manage; not
optimally efficient
• Can be confusing over
categories
• Focus on category /
need and umbrella
• Leveraging the value of
the umbrella
• Umbrella is RTB
• Difficult to manage;
everything related
• Can be confusing over
categories; can harm
umbrella
+
-
e.g.
6. AMATI
& Associates
Examples of different brand architectures
Brand Architecture
6
MONOLITHIC BRAND
MULTI-BRAND
STRATEGY
UMBRELLA
+LABELS
ENDORSED BRANDS
UMBRELLA + SUB
EXAMPLE
7. AMATI
& Associates
Although things are not as simple as they look like…..
Brand Architecture
7
MULTI-BRAND
STRATEGY
ENDORSED BRANDS
EXAMPLE
UMBRELLA + Labels UMBRELLA + SUB
ILLUSTRATIVE
MULTI-BRAND
STRATEGY
9. AMATI
& Associates
Strategic positioning is a complex issue, because there is a lot of interdependence among the dimensions which belong to
the positioning strategy
Brand Positioning
9
Sources: own analysis
1. Roots
2. Competitors
3. Target
4. Insights
5. Benefits
6. Values
Beliefs
Personality
7. RTBs
8. Discriminator
9. Essence
10. AMATI
& Associates
Roots are important, because need to be either leveraged or superseded
Brand Positioning: 1.Roots
10
EXAMPLE
• The biggest on-line bookstore
• Direct-to-customer assemble to order PC manufacturer
• “There is no finish line”
• Large scale tabulating machines for large offices
• Beyond cleaning, enhancing beauty
• America’s washday favorite
11. AMATI
& Associates
11
Ecosystem
When positioning a brand is important to start from the ecosystem, looking at an extended competition
Card Member Data Processing
Merchant
Bank
Issuer
Card
Exchange
Goods/service for plastic
Credit Relationship
Monthly Payments
Monthly Payments
Authorization
Payments
Payments
Payments
Brands
Co-branded Cards
Loyalty Card
Brand Positioning: 2. Understand the ecosystem EXAMPLE
12. AMATI
& Associates
12
Brand Positioning: 2. Competitive Mapping
Competitive Maps have two objectives: 1) assess players positioning and 2) identify white spaces
Source: Skopos
Location
Taste of Food
Variety
Hot Dish/
Short Time
Competitive Mapping
Agree
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
Agree
Disagree
EXAMPLE
13. AMATI
& Associates
Use personas and define as in-depth as possible. Avoid large irrelevant demographic clustering e.g., 18-35….
Brand Positioning: 3.Target
13
Who am I? What while
commuting
Internet Key Drivers Relationships
16 yo, live in
center of city
By bus, 30
mins to go to
school each
way, I spent
really a lot of
time
commuting!
Watch TV on
the Bus, chat
with my friends,
access social
networks
through my
mobile
Going around Mobile
In the
evening and
mostly for
shopping,
while
watching TV
During the
day for sms-
ing my friends,
social
networks
1) To show
my stile
2) I like to be
busy
I want to stay
unique
16 yo, live in
suburbs of a
big city
By train, at
least an hour
to go to
school each
way.
Review my
homework,
chat with my
friends
In the
afternoon
while doing
homework for
social network
During the
day for sms-
ing my friends,
social
networks
1) Share
experience
s with
friends
2) Be with
others
Friends are
the center of
my world
TV
What’s that?
In the
evening,
mostly
MTV
EXAMPLE
14. AMATI
& Associates
Brand Positioning: 4.Consumer Insight
14
Belonging
Security
Control
Recognition
Power
Vitality
Enjoyment
Conviviality
Identify an insight platform based on relevance, opportunity, and uniqueness of your proposition
EXAMPLE
15. AMATI
& Associates
We do work with brand ladders in 3 dimensions: functional,
emotional and societal
Brand Positioning: 5.Benefits
15
FUNCTIONAL
EMOTIONAL
SOCIETAL
1. Recognition
2. Internal and external
Visibility
3. Pride
4. Sense of belonging
to an Elite
5. Team Engagement1. Credibility in customers’
branding efforts
2. Help client’s organizations in
adapting in the fast changing
environment
3. Knowledge Sharing: help
customers help themselves
(Coaching effect)
4. Transparency & Homogeneity
for best practices in global
companies
1. Lifting the game
2. Development of one-self
3. Creating Life enriching
experiences
BRANDBENEFITLADDER EXAMPLE
16. AMATI
& Associates
Brand Positioning: 6.Values, Beliefs, Personality
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Achievement
Results Oriented
Exclusive
Sharing
“Red Carpet”
Social Leadership
knowledgeable
Helpful
Be yourself
Sense of Belonging
Networking
Satisfaction
Trust
Confidence by Heart
Look at People
Outside(
17. AMATI
& Associates
For each sub-set of benefits we have to develop
relevant RTBs
Brand Positioning: 7.RTB
17
FUNCTIONAL
EMOTIONAL
SOCIETAL
Leading edge-research, continuously improved methodology, higher and higher exposure of
the brand, consultations not consulting …..
Personalized resource center, Personalized best practices feedback and benchmark
report
Higher and higher exposure of the brand, Galas and Award
ceremonies, post-event PR,, …..
De-facto (international) peer group, on-site client
workshops, peer recommendation
Getting articles published in
relevant magazines, Events with
leading Community NGOs,
foundations... Supporting our
own cause
EXAMPLE
1. Recognition
2. Internal and external
Visibility
3. Pride
4. Sense of belonging
to an Elite
5. Team Engagement1. Credibility in customers’
branding efforts
2. Help client’s organizations in
adapting in the fast changing
environment
3. Knowledge Sharing: help
customers help themselves
(Coaching effect)
4. Transparency & Homogeneity
for best practices in global
companies
1. Lifting the game
2. Development of one-self
3. Creating Life enriching
experiences
18. AMATI
& Associates
The discriminator helps us standing out in a crowded space
Brand Positioning: 8.Discriminator
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• Masculine point of view in the mating game
• See your true beauty
• The F1 dream
• The authentic innovation company
EXAMPLE
19. AMATI
& Associates
The essence is a statement about what the brand is, our core promise
Brand Positioning: 9.Essence
19
• Leading edge fashion for the masses
• Robin Hood (robbing from big brands to give back to consumers)
• Inspiration and innovation for every athlete* in the world
(*if you have a body you are an athlete)
• Board roots (for riders), surf style (for all)
• Indulgence with a progressive conscience
• Customer centric innovation, aiming at building a more sustainable world
EXAMPLE