What is Brand Strategy?
Brand Strategy is the process through which you define the relationship of your brand, in relation to your company, category and the consumer.
Brand Strategy is the general and encompassing term for brand architecture and brand positioning (or brand storytelling). Brand Architecture focuses on how you manage and structure multiple brands within a single company and Brand Positioning or Storytelling focuses on how you present them to your consumer or customer.
Brand Architecture is often presented in structural formats. For example, The House of Brands or the Branded House formats. Unilever utilises the House of Brands approach (brands positioned independently from each but owned by the Masterbrand Unilever, (Dove, Magnum, Domestos or Vaseline). Nike and Coco-Cola use the Branded House format, one single brand that shares multiple variants but draws upon the same name and brand positioning/storytelling. There are a few other structural format variances, but these are the major two approaches.
The first step in any Brand Strategy process, is to determine the Brand Architectural strategy. A conversation that is more typical among large national and international companies but is also useful with younger and start-up companies. The Brand Architectural approach impacts the next stage of Brand Positioning/Storytelling. For example, within a Branded House, you must consider how the other brands are positioned, but with a House of Brands approach you might have more strategic freedom.
With the internal brand approach decided, you can turn to other more common and popular aspect of Brand Strategy, Brand Positioning/Storytelling. There are multiple different approaches to this task, but typically they will all endeavour to position the brand positively in consumer/customer mind and marketplace. Using, various terminology (brand role, difference, hook, benefit, purpose, personality, values, and essence) to create a story of why the consumer should buy (feel positively disposed) towards the product or service.
