Brand Strategy
Key question
What is the brand name, and how are the brands connected?
Many companies offer multiple products, services or sub-brands. Brand architecture organises them. And every brand needs a name that works.
Learning objective: You can distinguish between brand architecture models, as well as develop and evaluate names based on clear criteria.
Order creates orientation.
6.1 / Brand Architecture
One brand or many?
There are two basic models, with hybrid forms in between:
A BRAND
Branded House
All offerings carry the umbrella brand. Strong and efficient, but a single mistake impacts everyone.
HYBRID FORM
Endorsed brands
Own brands with an endorser, such as 'by…'. Independent, but supported.
MANY BRANDS
House of Brands
Each offering has its own brand. Flexible, but expensive to build.
The choice depends on how similar the offerings are, how much risk you want to share, and the budget available for building individual brands.
The more similar the offers, the more important the brand.
6.2 / Naming
A name is a promise in a single word.
Names can be distinguished according to their type:
01
Descriptive
Says what it is. Easy to understand, but difficult to protect.
02
Associative
Evokes an image or feeling. Memorable and distinct.
03
Invented
A new word. Well protectable, but requires building up.
04
Acronym
Acronym formed from initial letters. Short, but often interchangeable.
A good name is easy to pronounce, memorable, distinctive, and aligns with your positioning. It must be capable of being legally protected and should not have any undesirable meanings in other languages.
First describe what the name needs to achieve.
6.3 / Check names
Criteria instead of gut feeling.
Names are quickly judged based on personal taste. Reviewing them against specific criteria makes the discussion more objective: pronounceable, memorable, distinctive, suitable, internationally understood, and available as a domain.
Before making a decision, a trade mark search in the registers is required, such as with the Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property (IPI) or the EUIPO. The Swiss Swissreg register allows you to check in advance, free of charge, whether a similar name has already been registered.
A name must also hold up legally.
Exercise
Find a name
Task: Develop a name for your brand or a new offering.
STEP 1
Describe in three sentences what the name needs to achieve.
STEP 2
Collect at least 30 name ideas across all four name types in ten minutes.
STEP 3
Choose five favourites and test them in the naming check.
STEP 4
Researched domain, social media, and trademark registries for the two best options.
Results: Has your favourite changed after the test?