High-level Brand Architecture Spectrum

Source: Inspired by David Aaker’s brand architecture spectrum

Here is a simple visualization of the brand architecture spectrum. Brand architecture is about the relationships between the brands in a portfolio. On one end of the spectrum is the master parent brand, which leads the portfolio of brands, as well as in vision and equities. And on the other end is a stand-alone sub-brand (or product brand) when it has little or no association with the parent. Some versions of this model go into more forensic detail about all the relationship options between these two poles. However, in its more simplistic form, the relationship options usually have some form of either sub-branding or endorsed branding.