Brand Architecture Challenges in the Digital Age in the Context of a Broad Brand: An Abstract

The digitally empowered world has introduced new branding rules that must be acknowledged if managers are to build and manage brands in the digital age (Erdem et al. 2016). Brands are being consolidated into fewer stronger power or mega brands, distant brand extensions are being introduced, and there is a proliferation of multi-category brands (Hill et al. 2005; Keller 2016; Parker et al. 2018). The transformation of brands in the context of the digital environment presents an opportunity to understand how to manage complex brand structures as broad brands. This study investigates the architecture of broad brands as perceived and implemented by managers in the context of digital transformations. The problem centres on discussions in the literature that focus on traditional “static” models of brand architecture. A case study of media brands, specifically broadcast television brands, provides a dynamic context in which to study how changes to the digital media environment are shaping brand management perspectives and practices. The case study investigates a brand in transition that struggles with digital disruption to be established as a broad brand. The brand is a critical case—a leading operator in an industry undergoing transformation. In addition to archival data, field notes and company documents, informants in charge of strategic planning or implementing branding policies from disparate departments in an organisation were interviewed. Forty-three face-to-face and phone interviews of approximately 40–60 min were conducted. Observations from the data include challenges of the broad brand architecture in terms of changing boundaries of the brand and the complexity of relationships between brands. This study develops three insights into managing brand architecture in the digital age and in the context of broad brands. First, it investigates complex brand architecture, which is an unexplored research topic. Second, it identifies brand architecture as a flexible framework. Finally, it identifies a brand platform as a strategy to manage brand architecture complexity and leverage opportunities in the digital environment.