Contents
- Who is a brand architect?
- Main responsibilities of a brand architect
- Key skills of a brand architect
- Demand for the profession
- Where to study to become a brand architect?
Who is a brand architect?
A brand architect is an expert responsible for creating and implementing brand strategy, as well as managing the company's brand portfolio. The primary task of a brand architect is to conduct in-depth market analysis, gather and interpret marketing metrics, and develop effective positioning for each element of the portfolio. Based on the obtained data, they form a visual architecture that represents the hierarchy of brands within the company. A well-developed strategy contributes to improved promotion, enhances brand recognition, and simplifies management.
Main responsibilities of a brand architect
The brand architect performs several key tasks, including:
- Forming the brand assortment;
- Establishing effective connections between brands to prevent cannibalization;
- Developing a brand portfolio management strategy.
The specialist not only launches new brands but also develops existing ones. For example, this process was observed at "Netology," where an educational platform was initially created, and then the expanded assortment became the foundation for a new brand architecture.
During their work, the brand architect conducts audits of existing brands. If the company plans to launch new products or acquire brands, the specialist analyzes the market and develops positioning. If the brand structure already exists, they assess its effectiveness and determine how it compares to competitors, identifying overlaps in target audiences and management errors.
Key skills of a brand architect
For successful work, a brand architect needs both universal and professional skills:
Universal skills (soft skills)
- Communication skills — important for teamwork;
- Analytical mindset — for working with large amounts of data;
- Public speaking ability — for presenting ideas;
- Project management — for coordinating team work;
- Responsibility — for the decisions made.
Professional skills (hard skills)
- Knowledge of branding fundamentals — for developing positioning and strategy;
- Understanding of marketing and economic indicators — for assessing financial implications;
- Working with analytics tools — for evaluating promotion effectiveness;
- Product and marketing analysis — for selecting optimal architecture;
- Data visualization skills — for creating presentations and graphs.
Demand for the profession
Currently, many companies are looking for brand architects on a freelance basis for one-time structural development. Subsequently, brand managers usually handle the architecture management. Specialists in this profession most often work in branding agencies. Freelance opportunities in this field are not widespread, as architecture development requires teamwork and significant time investment.
Large corporations that are actively expanding their assortments and entering new markets are also searching for brand architects; however, there are not many such companies, and most of them are located abroad. Job vacancies for such positions are not common, and their responsibilities are often transferred to brand directors or other managerial positions in the marketing field.
Where to study to become a brand architect?
It is impossible to become a brand architect without prior experience. Future specialists typically start by obtaining related professions, such as brand manager, brand analyst, or brand strategist. They then participate in architecture development under the guidance of more experienced colleagues and build a portfolio of cases. The optimal option would be to work in a branding agency, where a novice specialist can familiarize themselves with various brand structures in practice and achieve a managerial position more quickly.