The role of brand architecture and brand heritage for family-owned wineries: the case of Crete, Greece

Abstract

The importance of branding strategies, either in terms of brand architecture or in relation to the role of brand heritage, has often been put under the microscope in the case of larger businesses. Yet neither aspect has been explicitly investigated in terms of its role and contribution for smaller wine businesses. Focusing on the case of local family wineries in Crete, Greece, helps us identify links with and applications of both brand architecture and brand heritage literature. Findings suggest that most wineries do not use an umbrella brand to create relevant sub-brands but tend to build upon mixed strategies. Furthermore, wineries often refer to place brand heritage, but family heritage is usually the cornerstone of their branding efforts. Our conclusions confirm the need to redevelop this body of literature in a way more adequate for small, family-owned wine businesses, and to enrich family wine business people's understanding of extant branding strategies.