The One Brand Strategy

Branding Strategy Insider helps marketing oriented leaders and professionals like you build strong brands. BSI readers know, we regularly answer questions from marketers. Today we hear from Laura, a Director of Corporate Marketing in St. Louis, Missouri who has this question about a one brand strategy:

My company is about $100 million in annual revenue. We offer several b2b services and in each area, we have a different “branded” web portal where clients go to view reports and in some cases manage workflow. Can a company of our size (with little dollars devoted to branding) successfully promote multiple “brands”?  Should all of our branding center around the main brand?

Laura, you are right to point out that a smaller company with limited resources for branding cannot support multiple brands well. Look at PepsiCo, Nestle, P&G, Kraft and the other ‘house of brands’ companies pictured, they have had tremendous success with a multiple brand strategy, though it is only successful when there is a high level of investment to maintain it. It would be better for you to focus on one brand. I would choose a brand that had some meaning across all of your product categories and uses. I would also craft a tagline that alludes to the benefits offered by your brand. Regarding your brand’s Internet presence, I would focus on one website, with separate navigation (and pages, if necessary) for different customer groups with different needs. Your marketing dollars will go further if you are only supporting one brand. And, brand awareness, a key driver of customer brand insistence, should increase.

Thanks for your question Laura.

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