Definition of ingredient brand

Our definition of ingredient brand: A brand presented as a component, feature, or element of another brand or branded offering.

Other definitions of ingredient brand from around the web

“A brand for an ingredient or component of a product, to project the high quality or performance of the ingredient.” – Wikipedia

“A well-known brand with well-known qualities that is included as a component or feature of another brand or product to enhance perceptions and the marketability of that brand or product.” – Derrick Daye in “7 Keys To Ingredient Brand Success,” Branding Strategy Insider

“Putting the brand of an ingredient on the outside of a product to increase its appeal.” – John Quelch in “How To Brand an Ingredient,” Harvard Business Review

“A brand used as a feature for another brand, such as an Intel chip in an HP computer.” – The Dictionary of Brand, Marty Neumeier (Liquid Agency)

Examples of ingredient brands

• Intel (e.g., chips inside HP computers)
• NutraSweet (e.g., aspartame in Diet Pepsi)
• Gore-Tex (e.g., in a jacket from The North Face)
• Microban (e.g., antimicrobial technology in Speck phone cases)
• Retsyn in Certs
• Techron in Chevron gasoline

Additional thoughts

Ingredient brands can play an important role in brand architecture, tying together disparate offerings or adding (perceived) value to more salient items in the portfolio. It may be useful to think of ingredient brands as coming in two different “flavors”:

1. A brand can play an ingredient role in the products or services of the company that created and owns it (e.g., Chevron owns its the Techron brand and makes the gasoline in which it is an ingredient).
2. Ingredient brands can be created and owned by third parties. For example, Intel is an ingredient brand in many third-party PC products. Some products from The North Face and Nike contain Gore-Tex, but neither company owns Gore-Tex.

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