I first had a decision to make. Option 1: Create a website like amazon, with all the products together and "no brand image" besides honesty and good pricing. Option 2: Create several websites with brand image (Example: Action Sports Website, Mens Fashion Website, Deco Website) creating websites with content, news, events, brand image, like a magazine with e-commerce. I went for the option two because developing costs in my country are very low and I think I get the following benefits: customer loyalty, easier niche marketing and targeting, cheaper marketing, more website bookmarking, better brand image, easier to make brands join (because they are part of the movement), etc. Now the second decision to make is. Option 1: Have a brand and several "sub-brands" for example "The Website - Action Sports" (The Website being the brand and Action Sports being the sub brand), "The Website - Deco", etc.. Option 2: Have several brands for example "The Action Sports Website", "The Deco Website", etc. I want to be stronger as a brand and be able to cross reference sites and in the future create an Amazon type of website with everything from every website. But I dont want customers to feel they are shopping at Macys; I want customers to feel they are a part of something that identifies them, since this is why I am doing the website separation, so I am scared that making the brand to obvious will cause this.
It can be challenging to simultaneously
(1) unify a brand that spans multiple websites, each with separate offerings and distinct audiences;
and
(2) make each individual website seem like a branded space in its own right -- something that an audience will embrace as expressive of their style and interests.
But it can be done. If you'd like to schedule a call, I'd be happy to gather examples of these "umbrella" brands (or "brand hierarchies", as they're sometimes described) -- some that I consider successful and others that come across as a bit schizophrenic.
We can take a look at what makes the difference for them. And, of course, I'd also be interested in suggesting some naming strategies that fit your particular business model ... once I learn more about the specifics.
Answered 9 years ago
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