Architecting Brands: Managerial Process and Control for Emerging Enterprises

Abstract

The paper discusses the relevance of hierarchy of brands, and the role of brand audit to manage the brand portfolio of a firm emerging in competitive business arena. The discussion in the paper also delineates the steps involved in architecting a brand in a firm from the managerial perspective. The value of corporate brand endorsement across different products and product lines, and at lower levels of the brand hierarchy also needs to be assessed. Use of corporate brand endorsement either as a name identifier or logo identifies the product with the company, and provides reassurance for the customer. The brand architecture should incorporate the entire firm's existing brands, whether developed internally or acquired. It should provide a framework for consolidation in order to reduce the number of brands and strengthen the role of individual brands.