A strong brand identity is the core of any successful business. It forms the basis for how consumers perceive your brand, identify with it and ultimately decide to buy your products or services. But, how do you create such a compelling and effective brand identity? That's where a thoughtful brand strategy comes in.

In this blog post, I discuss several brand strategy models you can use to define and strengthen your brand identity. Whether you're a start-up, an established company looking for a new direction, or somewhere in between, the right brand strategy model can make the difference between average and striking, between unnoticed and iconic.

Why is a thoughtful brand strategy essential for business success?

A brand strategy goes far beyond just an attractive logo and a catchy slogan. It encompasses the full spectrum of how you present your brand to your target audience. Here are some reasons why a thoughtful brand strategy is critical to the success of your business:

• Differentiation in a saturated market: In a world full of competing brands, it is essential to differentiate yourself. A strong brand identity helps you stand out and leave a lasting impression with your target audience.
• Building trust and loyalty: Consumers connect with brands they trust and have an emotional connection with. A consistent and trustworthy brand strategy builds this bond and fosters customer loyalty.
• Effective communication: A well thought out brand strategy makes it easier to communicate your message and values to your target audience. This helps not only in attracting new customers, but also in retaining existing ones.
• Encourage growth and expansion: Having your brand strategy well defined can open doors to new opportunities and markets. A strong brand identity can help you expand more smoothly and explore new horizons.

How can a well-chosen brand strategy model help you achieve your goals?

Choosing the right brand strategy model is like selecting the building material for your house. Each model has its own unique characteristics and uses, and choosing the right one affects how sturdy and resilient your brand will be.

In the coming sections, we will explore key brand strategy models, including Mono branding, Sub-branding, Endorsed branding and Hybrid branding. We'll look at how each model works, who a particular model is best suited for and how you can use a model to achieve your brand goals. Ready to begin the journey through the world of brand strategies? Let's start with Mono branding.

1. Mono branding: focus on one powerful brand

A solid brand strategy starts with understanding your brand identity and how you want to communicate it. Mono branding, also known as "Branded House," is one approach organizations use to form uniformity and a high visual appeal across all their products.

What is Mono branding and how is it different from other models?

Mono branding is all about maximizing the impact of a single brand. The organization uses one name and one visual identity for all products. Therefore, a company engaged in mono branding uses one set of colors and shapes and applies them to all products.

When is Mono branding an effective choice?

Mono branding is a good choice when a company has built a strong brand that has become synonymous with quality, reliability or innovation. This model is often used when the company wants to position itself as an industry leader and benefit from the reputation it has already built.

Benefits and potential challenges of Mono branding

• Advantages:

  • With Mono branding, you only have to deal with the promotion of one brand. The brand comes out as a unit, both visually and in communication.
  • The uniformity of the brand ensures quick recognition and little confusion among the target audience.
  • When the brand releases a successful product, it will directly contribute to brand awareness.
  • The brand is in a strong bargaining position to the financial, labor and retail markets.




• Challenges:

  • Tight uniformity does provide but little opportunity for differentiation to different market segments.
  • The entire brand is at risk when a product performs poorly. An exploding battery of a Samsung smartphone diminishes the image of Samsung itself.

When applying mono branding, it is essential to keep your brand strategy consistent and ensure that the brand is not diluted by too much diversification. A good example of Mono branding is Coca-Cola.

2. Sub-branding: one strong central identity

In addition to Mono branding, there is also the approach of Sub-branding, or also called the Umbrella Brand Strategy. Whereas Mono branding is all about complete uniformity, Sub-branding is more concerned with an overarching brand identity.

What does sub-branding entail?

Sub-branding is about creating one overarching brand identity that is consistently applied to all the products and services your company offers. Think of big brands like Apple, Philips or Google. When these brands release a new product, it is given the name of the sub-brand. For example, Apple has the iPhone, the Apple Watch, Apple Music, Apple Pay, etc. So Apple chooses to release all its products under its own name, but it is then popularly known as the iPhone. Everyone knows this comes from Apple.

What companies is Sub-branding suitable for?

Sub-branding is ideal for companies with a wide range of products or services that can share a clear and unified brand identity together. It is also suitable for companies that want to capitalize on the trust built up in their main brand to launch new products.

Advantages and potential challenges of Sub-branding

• Advantages:

  • Sub-branding creates a consistent brand experience, which builds trust and recognition among consumers.
  • With one strong brand identity, companies can save costs on developing separate brand identities for each product.
  • The familiarity of the main brand can give new products or services a jump start because it has already built trust.




• Challenges:

  • If the main brand receives negative publicity, it can affect all products associated with it.
  • In some cases, it can be difficult to highlight unique features of individual products when everything falls under the same identity.

3. Endorsed branding: the power of collaboration

Endorsed branding involves a main brand and a sender brand. Whereas Apple plays a big role with its products within Sub-branding, main brands remain a bit more in the background in Endorsed branding.

What does Endorsed branding entail and how does it work?

In Endorsed branding, the main brand gives a quality guarantee to the product from the background. This also works the other way when a product does very well. An example of this is Magnum. Magnum comes from the company Ola, but is itself so strong in the market that it could easily exist without the addition of Ola.

How can Endorsed branding build trust and credibility?

By using the strong brand image of the main brand, Endorsed branding can build trust and credibility for new products or services. Consumers are more likely to trust products backed by a brand they already know and respect.

The Polestar car brand is another good example of this. Polestar cars sell well and that is partly because the name "Volvo" is behind the brand. This is because customers recognize Volvo as a credible and quality brand.

Benefits and potential challenges of Endorsed branding

• Advantages:

  • Both brands reinforce and benefit from each other.
  • Introducing new Endorsed brands can be cheaper than having to create an entirely new brand.




• Challenges:

  • The main brand may suffer reputational damage when a sender brand receives negative publicity.
  • The good image of a main brand can be diluted when it has too many sender brands under view.

Hybrid branding: customization for complexity

The Hybrid branding model is like a tailored suit designed to meet the unique needs of your business. Brands that have a Hybrid brand usually started with one well-run product that they have started to build on.

Explanation of Hybrid branding model

Hybrid branding focuses on flexibility and adaptability. It allows companies to combine different approaches to meet the diverse requirements of their product portfolio, target audience and market segments.

When might hybrid branding be an appropriate option?

Hybrid branding is an excellent choice when your company has diverse offerings that do not easily fit into a single model. It can be especially effective in complex markets where different segments of your target audience require different approaches.

Balancing different brand identities within Hybrid branding

The key to success in hybrid branding lies in the in-depth knowledge of your target audience, their needs and how they respond to different brand expressions. You base the look of your product and communication on this knowledge. An example of a hybrid brand is Redbull. This strong brand has taken a unique position within the energy drinks market through a distinctive and eye-catching way of communicating.

Benefits and Potential Challenges of Hybrid Branding

• Advantages:

  • A Hybrid brand can build a completely unique identity and reputation and therefore fits squarely within the fast-paced consumer marketplace.
  • Specialism allows for strong positioning in the market and against your competitors.




• Challenges:

  • Setting up a stand-alone brand can be relatively costly because the brand identity still needs to be fully built and communicated.
  • Your brand must be intended for large market segments in order to recoup the full investment.

Choosing the right model

Choosing the right brand strategy model is a decision that will affect your business and your image in the long run. Here are some considerations and steps to help you make the right choice.

How do you choose the best brand strategy model for your business?

1. Analyze your business and goals: Understand your current brand identity, goals and market position.
2. Know your target audience: Who are your customers and what are their expectations? Which model will best meet their needs?
3. Research the competition: How do your competitors position themselves and what model do they use? Where are opportunities for differentiation?

Tailoring the model to your goals, target audience and unique value

A successful brand strategy closely aligns with your specific goals, target audience and the unique value you offer. The model chosen should be consistent with your company mission and core values.

Implementing your chosen model and measuring success

After you choose the right model, implementation is critical. Make sure all your communications, designs and customer interactions are consistent with your chosen strategy. Measure results regularly and adjust as needed.

Building a Strong and Relevant Brand

A well-thought-out brand strategy is the foundation of any successful brand. Whether you choose Mono branding, Sub-branding, Endorsed branding or Hybrid branding, the most important thing is that your strategy aligns with your business goals and target audience.

In a rapidly changing world, it is crucial to remain flexible. A brand strategy should not be set in stone, but should be able to evolve and adapt to changing market conditions.

Need help with your strategy?

Do you need help setting up your brand strategy or brand identity? If so, we'd love to help! We've been doing this for over 30 years and in the last 5 years have become very focused on brand strategy #first.