Should You Create a Sub-Brand?

When I was working with x-brand, I was fascinated by their idea of creating xy-brand (and other sub-brands down the line) and how they wanted to present it on the website. It was unique and really helped them stand out from the noisy ecommerce crowd. But as I did more research about it - i realized that this practice is quite common with big companies. 

Here are some examples of what I’m talking about.  

Feel free to check their websites and how they showcased their sub-brand. 

  • Victoria’s Secret - Pink
  • Gap - Old Navy
  • Nike - Jordan

What is a Sub-Brand?

A sub-brand is a distinct brand created by a parent or main brand to target a specific segment of the market, differentiate product lines, or address a particular consumer need. Sub-brands often have their own unique identity, including logos, marketing strategies, and brand messaging, but they remain connected to the parent brand and benefit from its overall brand equity and reputation. This strategy allows companies to diversify their offerings and reach a broader audience without diluting the core brand.

The Benefits - Why should you do it?

Cost Efficiency: Hosting everything on one website maximizes the current traffic we're already driving to the platform. It also saves on additional subscription fees for Shopify and other apps we might need.

Creative Flexibility: We get to enjoy and be creative when designing new themes for the homepage, collection pages, product pages, and blogs that are distinct from the main brand.

Seamless Shopping Experience: Utilizing the same cart and checkout makes shopping across the main brand and the sub-brand seamless for our customers.

What to Watch Out For

Hiring the Right Talent: It's crucial to have the best web developer who can lay down the groundwork and easily come back to rework on the project if and when needed.

Efficient Management: Working with a skilled shop manager and virtual assistant who can easily navigate the intricacies of the website is essential.

Site Speed Issues: Depending on the size of your catalog, merging a main brand and a sub-brand in one website can affect site speed. Extra development costs might be incurred to address this issue.

Personally, I think creating a sub-brand is a fantastic idea! But I'll tackle it based on the budget a client can reasonably set aside for it  - It is a huge undertaking after all. It can be done simply through the use of a Shopify premium theme or by having something custom-made. Whether you're starting out small or not, improvements on the look and feel of your sub-brand can always be made as you progress and scale more.