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Brand Architecture examples – Should you build one brand or many?

The complete guide to brand architecture for your business

If I had a dollar for every time a client asked, ‘Should this be a separate brand… or fall under the one we already have?’, I’d have a new townhome project in planning.

When it comes to branding in property, most people think about names, logos and marketing. But behind all of that is a bigger, strategic decision: How many brands do you actually need?

And just as importantly: How should they work together?

This is where brand architecture comes in. It’s not just a marketing term, it’s the blueprint behind how your projects, services and businesses connect (or don’t). Done well, it brings clarity. Done poorly, it creates confusion, duplication and missed opportunities.

Do I need to think about brand architecture?

If you’ve thought any of these, then yes!

  • We’re launching a new business. Does it need its own brand?
  • This new offer is for a totally different market. Will the current brand still work?
  • We’ve got multiple brands now. How do we explain them to partners or investors?
  • We want to scale, but don’t want to confuse the market.

Brand architecture models: The four most common structures

Brand architecture exists on a spectrum, from one unified brand to many independent ones. Here are the four most common models, each with pros, cons and examples from property and beyond.

Branded House

(One master brand for everything)

Sub-Brands

(Different offerings under one master brand)

Endorsed Brands

(Independent names backed by a trusted parent)

House of Brands

(Each brand stands alone with its own audience and strategy)

Brand architecture checklist: Which model is right for you?

Use the checklist below to figure out where you sit, and which model might best support your growth.

Answer the below questions with a Yes or no

Do I want all offerings to reinforce one name?

Do I have strong equity in one brand already?
Are all offers for the same audience type?
Would reputational risk in one area hurt others?
Do I need full flexibility to launch different concepts?
Do I present to investors or partners who need to see scale?

Results:

  • 5–7 YES: Branded House or Sub-Brands may suit best
  • 3–5 YES: Consider an Endorsed Brand or Hybrid approach
  • 0–3 YES: House of Brands is likely the best fit

1. Branded House

All offerings live under one name and identity.

Pros

  • Strong brand recognition: Every project builds equity in one master brand.
  • Marketing efficiency: One set of assets, one strategy = reduced duplication.
  • Trust builds faster: New audiences already know the name.
  • Consistency across locations and projects.

Cons

  • Limited flexibility: All offerings must align with the brand’s values, tone and positioning.
  • Harder to reposition: Want to appeal to a new buyer segment? You may need a new tone or look — which can confuse.
  • Reputational risk is shared: If one part of the business has issues, the whole brand may feel the impact.
Apple exemplifies the branded house model—every product begins with the Apple name, creating a unified ecosystem where trust, design and innovation flow seamlessly across categories.
G.J. Gardner Homes uses a unified branded house model across its franchise network—local builders operate independently, but all share the same trusted brand, giving customers confidence through consistency.
Springtree uses a branded house model—retaining a consistent masterbrand while flexing colour and location names to suit each community, building recognition and trust across multiple developments.
Stockland follows a branded house strategy—each project or division carries the Stockland name first, reinforcing brand equity and trust across residential, retail, logistics and mixed-use developments.
CFMG adopts a branded house model—each division retains the CFMG name and identity, reinforcing brand strength and clarity across capital raising, funds management and residential development arms.

2. Sub-Brands

Distinct offerings with unique names, but still clearly tied to the parent brand.

Pros

  • Allows market segmentation: You can target different audiences (e.g. first home buyers vs high-end clients) under one brand family.
  • Still leverages brand trust: Customers see the connection to your main brand.
  • More flexibility than a pure Branded House.

Cons

  • Naming systems can become cluttered: If too many sub-brands emerge, it can get confusing.
  • Design consistency must be tightly managed: It’s easy for sub-brands to drift visually or in tone.
  • Harder to kill off underperformers: They’re still linked to the parent.
Positioned with a strong sustainability message, Prius is still part of Toyota’s master brand. The Toyota name leads in credibility and quality, but Prius carved out its own space for innovation.
Dulux Wash&Wear is a standout sub-brand within the Dulux family. It’s not a separate company or endorsed brand—it’s a product line that sits firmly under the Dulux master brand, but with its own distinct identity, features, and messaging.
Freedom Kitchens uses an endorsed brand strategy—operating a distinct business, it leverages the well-known Freedom name to build consumer trust.

3. Endorsed Brands

Independent brands that are backed by or linked to a parent brand.

Pros

  • Creates trust while giving space: New brands benefit from endorsement but still stand alone.
  • Good for new ventures: Especially useful when entering new markets or launching joint ventures.
  • Flexibility with credibility: You can shift tone or offering while staying tied to a reputable parent.

Cons

  • Can cause confusion: How much does the parent brand really control?
  • Design must be intentional: The endorsement should feel purposeful, not tacked on.
  • Mixed risk: If the endorsed brand fails or missteps, it may still affect the parent.
Freedom, HomeSolution, Designer, Signature, and Invest—caters to a different buyer segment with its own positioning and personality. From first home buyers to luxury clients and property investors, every sub-brand stands on its own yet is clearly endorsed by the strength and trust of the Metricon name. This approach allows tailored messaging without losing the credibility of the parent brand.
Kellogg’s brand architecture demonstrates the endorsed brand model—each cereal has its own name, logo, and personality (like Froot Loops or Corn Flakes), but they’re all clearly backed by the trusted Kellogg’s name. This approach allows product-level creativity while maintaining the strength and familiarity of the parent brand.
Courtyard by Marriot uses an endorsed brand approach—it stands confidently as its own experience, while the ‘by Marriot’ endorsement adds instant credibility and a sense of global reliability.
Nestlé uses an endorsed brand strategy, where products like Nesquik, KitKat, and Carnation each have their own identity, logo, and market positioning—but still feature the Nestlé name. This endorsement lends trust and global recognition to each product without overshadowing their individual personalities, allowing the parent brand to support a diverse product portfolio while maintaining consistency in quality and reputation.

It’s easy to get sub-brands and endorsed brands mixed up—they both sit somewhere between one master brand and many independent ones. But here’s a simple way to think about it:

A sub-brand is like a favourite child that carries the family name up front—think Stockland Aura or Freedom Kitchens. It lives under the parent brand, shares the same identity system, and feels like part of one big family. An endorsed brand, on the other hand, is a bit more grown-up and independent—it leads with its own name, but still gets a nod from the parent to boost trust, like Signature by Metricon. The key difference? One is clearly part of the main brand, while the other is backed by it but stands more on its own two feet.

4. House of Brands

Each brand is entirely independent. The parent is often invisible to the customer.

Pros

  • Maximum flexibility: Tailor each brand to its audience, pricing, tone and positioning.
  • Isolate risk: One brand’s challenges won’t drag down the others.
  • Ideal for acquisitions or JV models: You don’t have to force-fit new offerings into your current identity.

Cons

  • Higher cost: Every brand needs its own strategy, marketing and creative.
  • No shared equity: Trust and awareness must be built from scratch each time.
  • Can feel disconnected internally and externally if not managed well.
Frasers Property adopts a House of Brands strategy—projects like Brookhaven and The Quarry each have distinct names, visual identities, and positioning. This approach allows for highly tailored marketing and placemaking that speaks directly to the local audience and product type. That said, it’s important to note that Frasers Property’s logo and reputation still feature quite prominently, often sitting in the top corner of marketing materials or websites. While each project is treated as its own brand, the developer’s presence provides an added layer of credibility—almost like a quiet endorsement without shifting it into endorsed brand territory.
Villawood Properties embraces a house of brands model—developments like The Arbour and Redstone have their own names, styles and messaging, each crafted to resonate with a specific target audience.
Oliver Hume Group operates as a house of brands—with distinct names like My First Home, My First Loan, Oli Property and PTA—allowing each to target unique markets while leveraging shared expertise behind the scenes.
Wesfarmers operates as a house of brands—owning diverse businesses like Bunnings, Kmart and Officeworks, each with its own distinctive branding and market positioning.
Model
Description
Pros
Cons
Branded House
One master brand for all offerings
Strong brand equity, marketing efficiency, faster trust building
Shared risk, limited flexibility, hard to reposition
Sub-Brands
Distinct product lines under a parent brand
Clear segmentation, brand trust leverage, flexible positioning
Brand clutter, harder to manage consistency, harder to retire
Endorsed Brands
Standalone brands endorsed by a parent brand
Flexibility + credibility, good for new ventures, trust transfer
Potential confusion, mixed risk, endorsement must be clear
House of Brands
Independent brands with no visible parent
Maximum flexibility, risk isolation, ideal for acquisitions
High cost, no shared trust, can feel fragmented

Hybrid Model

Combines elements of branded house, house of brands, and endorsed brands, giving companies the flexibility to use different branding strategies under one umbrella.

Pros

  • Flexibility: You can tailor brands for different markets, products or audiences.
  • Reduces risk: If one fails, it doesn’t damage the whole.
  • Supports growth through acquisition without forcing full rebranding.

Cons

  • Complex to manage: requires more resources to handle multiple brand strategies.
  • Risk of brand confusion if customers don’t understand how the brands connect.
  • Higher marketing costs to maintain distinct brand identities.
While brand theory gives us clean frameworks to follow, real-life decisions aren’t always made in a vacuum. In CommBank’s case, its hybrid brand model is shaped largely by mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments. Sometimes it makes more business sense to leave a successful brand intact—especially if it already has strong equity, customer trust, or regulatory value. So while CommBank leans heavily on its masterbrand, it also supports endorsed brands and independent subsidiaries where a rebrand could do more harm than good.

Build with clarity

Your brand architecture isn’t just a marketing exercise, it’s a strategic lever for how you grow, sell and present your business.

Need help mapping your brand structure? We’ve built frameworks for some of Australia’s most trusted property brands, and we’d love to help you build yours.

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