By Fiona Czerniawska.
Sub-branding is all the rage. Whether they’re doing it loudly or quietly, externally or internally, there’s hardly a big consulting firm on the planet that’s not spawned a few sub-brands in the last couple of years.
To sub-brand, or not to sub-brand, is of course a difficult question in its own right. Firms that have fought to integrate acquisitions or operate on more global footing are rightly nervous that they’ll pave the way to brand-related chaos. Sub-brands are like herds of sheep and require careful shepherding. It’s not enough to drive them out into the field and leave them be: You need to check that they’ve not hurled themselves from precipices or trapped themselves in dead-end ravines. For all that, this is an argument that seems to have been won overall: Sub-branding is now an accepted aspect of the way a consulting firm presents itself to its clients and future employees.
