There is a common challenge companies face when new brands are created or acquired as part of the business’ strategic goals. Often, the ‘parent brand’ has existed for some time or maintains a certain level of awareness in the market, but reaches a point in which its new sub-brand(s) look completely adopted or genetically altered. The other away around happens too; red-headed step children brands join an otherwise organized family of brands.
Although a complete makeover sounds ideal to maintain a consistent visual brand architecture, it isn’t always feasible or within budget. Our simple answer; find the equity or equities among both parent and sub-brand visual identities that resonate with audiences and determine how to infuse these equities throughout the family – be it color, font, graphical element, etc.
The below highlight a few of our recent clients that required a strategic look at maintaining visual consistency across its family of brands.
CEG Multifamily & Unfold Development: all in the family
Since 1982 CEG Multifamily has invested in real estate ventures throughout the US, providing value to tenants, partners, and communities thanks to its reputation and values. In 2019, We partnered with the CEG team to develop Unfold Development, its newest sub-brand focused on unique and sustaining redevelopment opportunities.
Taking cues from CEG’s solid set of family values and hands-on reputation, Unfold was created to echo those attributes while infusing fresh, modern energy as a completely new brand that would help carry the company forward another 30+ years. Once the new visual identity system was built for Unfold, we evolved the CEG Multifamily brand with simple graphical elements kindred to those of Unfold. No major overhaul was needed for CEG to ensure the family looked and felt related.
A unifying Modern Roots vision with unique property brands
In 2012 W.D. Dickinson, an historic farm and house in Southern California came to life, producing organic and heirloom produce in abundance that eventually became a business for its owner’s Stepheni and Mike. A vision to extend W.D.D.’s heritage practices and experiences authentically to the other family properties was slowly sprouting when we began refreshing the W.D. Dickinson brand in 2019.
Defining this ‘Modern Roots’ vision eventually became the foundation for each subsequent property brand we’ve helped create. While the property brands are uniquely different, they maintain a likeness that aligns with the overarching vision and appreciation for heritage practices.
TL; DR
Brands that jive together, thrive together. Really. You might not need to embark on a huge undertaking to refresh an outdated or misaligned visual brand architecture. Look for the equities in your brand that have made you stand apart and make sure they come out to play when creating sub-brands or updating the parent brand logo itself.
