Explore our brand evolution of Children’s Miracle Network

Tag: Marketing

Written By: Luke Smith
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Navigating the Complexities of Brand Portfolio Management

At a recent conference I attended, a frequent topic kept coming up. A business would be acquiring another company, but they were not sure how to integrate the newly acquired brand into their existing portfolio. Brands can be acquired for numerous reasons — increasing market share, expanding capabilities, accessing new tech/innovations or markets, and eliminating competitors.  

Organizations can become so fixated on growth that they often neglect one of the most integral aspects of a successful acquisition, brand portfolio strategy. There are many different approaches to consider when managing newly acquired brands. Determining the best strategy depends heavily on the acquired brand’s equity.  

These are some questions to ask before determining the strategy: 

  • Is it a legacy brand with a loyal following and rich history?  
  • Is it a new brand with attractive or innovative products but not much equity in the brand itself? 
  • How does the brand differ from its competition? 
  • Will the brand require a significant investment, or would it be more beneficial to maintain the name or roll it into another brand? 

To answer these questions, it’s helpful to facilitate a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis. Conducting an analysis like this will create a strategic road map for your newly acquired brand. To learn more about the SWOT analysis process, check out our write-up HERE or reach out to the Jump team for more information.  

Once you’ve done your due diligence and analyzed the SWOT findings, it’s time to focus on how to manage this new brand within your portfolio. There are four primary brand portfolio strategies: 

  • Branded House. Fully integrating the acquired brand into your existing parent brand means it dissolves and rolls into your current brand portfolio. A master brand will be utilized across all facets of the business, and the sub-brands will be clearly communicated as extensions of that main brand. 

    Example: Apple is an example of a branded house portfolio strategy. Their product and service offerings all ladder back up to Apple (Apple iPhone, Apple TV, Apple iMac, etc.). 
  • House of Brands. Consider investing in and maintaining a legacy brand that has a healthy position and identity in its respective market/category. In this scenario, a parent brand manages a mixed portfolio of unique brands, typically due to its equity and status as a strong brand in its category. 

    Example: Unilever is an example of a house of brands portfolio strategy. Unilever is a parent brand, and underneath its umbrella is a collection of distinct brands (Dove, Ben & Jerry’s, Hellmann’s, etc.) that have standalone equity.
  • Endorsed Brand. In this scenario, the acquired brand maintains its identity, and the parent company endorses it. This is an ideal strategy for brands with strong equity where it would be beneficial to leverage the parent brand’s influence. 

    Example: Marriott is an example of a portfolio using an endorsed brand strategy. The master brand (Marriott) is leveraged in some fashion across its sub-brands (Courtyard by Marriott, JW Marriott and SpringHill Suites, etc.). 
  • Hybrid Brands. Product-specific branding utilizes the acquired brand’s product(s) as an expansion point for future growth opportunities. This approach includes a combination of branded house and house of brands, providing better flexibility for all their brands. A company might want to maintain independent brands for some offerings and leverage the master brand for specific brands. 

    Example: Coca-Cola is an example of a hybrid brand. While it maintains master brand connections for brands like Coca-Cola, Coca-Cola Zero and Diet Coke, it also has independent brands like Fanta, Sprite and Dasani.

These are just some of the many different brand portfolio strategies. Other strategies can be considered based on the specific complexities and unique situations of the acquisition. 

Are you about to acquire a new brand and you’re not sure how to integrate it into your portfolio? Jump works with clients of all shapes, sizes and situations, and we can help you navigate this process. Contact us to learn how we can collaborate to help you develop a strategy that will take your brand portfolio to the next level. 

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Seeing The Invisible:

Empathetic Marketing to Seniors

We all desire to be seen and understood. But for many people, aging over the hill and beyond into the golden years comes with the unexpected burden of feeling invisible. People over 65 are often overlooked in marketing, even though this demographic is one of the fastest growing and most influential segments in the world. In the United States alone, more than 55 million people are over age 65, with a combined purchasing power exceeding $2 trillion annually. Yet, despite their economic influence, older adults are frequently underrepresented or stereotyped in marketing campaigns.

These portrayals can have a strong impact on self-esteem and how senior adults view their role in society. As marketers, we have a responsibility to create campaigns that genuinely respect and value older consumers. We can do this in a few simple ways:

1. Challenge Ageist Stereotypes

Our senior generations are frequently portrayed in a narrow set of roles, often associated with frailty, dependence or disengagement from modern life. Yet today’s older consumers often defy these stereotypes. According to AARP, 71% of adults over 50 are still engaged in learning new skills and activities. They lead vibrant lives, travel, adopt technology and contribute to society in ways that should be reflected in marketing campaigns.

“Brands that portray aging as a natural, vibrant stage of life create more authentic connections with older consumers,” says Ashton Applewhite, author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.

2. Highlight Technology as an Enabler

Contrary to common stereotypes, older adults are increasingly tech savvy. According to Pew Research Center, 75% of Americans aged 65 and older use the internet, and 61% own a smartphone. This growing digital engagement means that marketers should focus on how technology can enhance the lives of older consumers rather than perpetuate the myth that they struggle with it. Technology should be positioned as a tool for connection and empowerment.

“When marketers emphasize the accessibility and benefits of technology for older users, they help break down ageist assumptions and foster inclusivity,” says the American Marketing Association.

3. Tailor Messaging for Senior Consumers

Personalization is essential when marketing to older adults. According to research from McKinsey & Company, older consumers are more likely to remain loyal to brands that understand their needs and preferences. Marketers should personalize their messages to reflect the interests, lifestyles and priorities of our senior generations.

“Older consumers expect brands to deliver value, trust and reliability, which requires tailoring both products and messaging to align with their values,” explains the Harvard Business Review.

4. Leverage Trust and Authenticity

Older consumers place a high value on trust and authenticity. A study by Edelman found that people over 65 are more discerning and place a premium on brands they trust. They are less likely to be swayed by aggressive advertising tactics and more likely to remain loyal to brands with a proven track record of quality and transparency. Highlight your brand’s history, commitment to quality and focus on customer service. Share testimonials and statistics to support your claims and deepen trust with consumers.

“Trust is the foundation of brand loyalty for older adults, and marketers need to demonstrate reliability and authenticity in every interaction,” explains Edelman.

Above all, older adults deserve to feel seen and respected. By challenging stereotypes and fostering trust, we can create lasting connections that benefit both brands and society.

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5 Tips to Maximize Medicare’s Short Campaign Window

Medicare marketing is uniquely difficult. Those companies who can successfully navigate the annual plan development, the governmental approvals, the marketing campaign development, the internal compliance reviews and the media planning and placement are given the reward of less than two months to market their plan, and they must do it at the exact same time every single competitor is also marketing their plans. Knowing how to maximize every moment of the annual enrollment period is vital to success, and from our experience, these are five tips to ensuring success.

Tip #1: Start with strategy

The best campaigns begin and end with a great strategy that allows for clear reporting. It’s tough to hit a target if you don’t know what it looks like. Starting with the end in mind will set the stage for future optimizations. It will also inform which tactics will give you the most bang for your buck. For example, if your goal is brand awareness, display tactics can help you reach the most people. If you’re looking for an action, tactics like paid search can put you in front of users who are actively searching for you and may be more likely to convert.

Tip #2: Get in market as early as possible

You may be faced with constraints that influence your time in market. Whether you’re dealing with regulations, limited information, or time-sensitive content, look for ways to prime the market before your campaign goes live. Having brand messaging in market prior to a campaign launch may be a good way to boost awareness. Consider teasing an upcoming release to generate interest before more details become available. In general, the more time you have in market, the better. Platforms like Google require time to optimize to benefit from machine learning. For paid search, we recommend at least one month in market before your campaign goes live to help maximize results.

Tip #3: Give yourself options

When time is of the essence, it helps to have a wide range of pre-approved options, especially in markets where regulation is high. Build twice as many digital ads as you need so you can layer in or remove the ones that aren’t performing. The more ads you can swap in, the more opportunities you have to learn.

Tip #4: Optimize effectively

Not all optimizations are created equal. Think through the underlying goal of each tactic to make sure you’re optimizing appropriately. For example, brand awareness campaigns focus on overall impressions. Optimize these for reach. For campaigns geared around conversions, optimize on user actions like clicking “enroll now” or “buy now.” Understanding what success looks like for each tactic will help you make game-time decisions so you can get the best performance out of your campaign overall.

Tip 5: Take good notes

One of the best things you can do to set yourself up for future success is to take good notes of everything you learned during the campaign. Any helpful findings should be shared out and saved in a way that makes them easy to reference as part of the strategy development process for the next campaign.

At Jump Company, nothing thrills us more than seeing campaigns deliver game-changing results. It’s amazing to see what is possible when you are intentional about how to make the most out of your time in market…no matter how limited it may be.