Under the Hood of Microsoft
Evolution as strategy within a hybrid Brand architecture
What sets a lasting brand apart from a passing success? Not just presence, but the ability to set direction rather than follow. Successful brands don’t endlessly repeat their past — they continuously realign with what matters today.
Microsoft is a clear example. What started as software for personal computers has become a technology company actively engaged in the rise of artificial intelligence. The question is: how do you safeguard your identity while constantly reinventing yourself?
In brand architecture, the concept of a Core Brand refers to the central brand that upholds the identity, trust, and long-term consistency of a brand portfolio. It is the stable carrier of values and promises, allowing sub-brands, product extensions, and innovations to evolve without losing coherence.
Extensions may vary in target group or function, but remain recognisable within the framework defined by the Core Brand. This balance of consistency and agility is what underpins a coherent and future-focused brand strategy.
Microsoft applies a hybrid brand architecture that accounts for the different roles and levels of visibility of products across its portfolio. Some brands, like Bing or Xbox, carry the Microsoft signature in a subtle way: the connection to the Core Brand is visible in context and communication, while the product name operates independently. Other offerings, like Microsoft Teams or Microsoft PowerPoint, explicitly retain the Core Brand in their name, reinforcing trust and unity across the ecosystem.
This deliberate division enables targeted differentiation: which products benefit from visibly leveraging the Core Brand, and which gain more value through autonomy? Here, flexibility is not a compromise — it’s a strategic way to remain agile without losing brand coherence.
Microsoft continues to reinvent itself without abandoning its Core Brand. The move from software to hardware, cloud, and AI is not a break, but a result of a consistent focus on innovation. By maintaining that direction, the brand remains both relevant and recognisable.
Over the decades, Microsoft has stayed true not only to its values, but also to its visual identity. The Windows logo is a clear example: the concept remains familiar, yet evolves with the times.
That evolution is reinforced by another, often underestimated asset: Microsoft’s structural embedding in everyday professional life. By offering tools like Word, Excel and PowerPoint for decades in both educational and work environments, the brand has anchored itself deeply into the daily routines of generations of users.
What’s familiar becomes second nature — and what’s second nature is hard to walk away from. This functional dependency strengthens the brand’s position with a solid user base as its foundation.
Microsoft is not alone in its approach to strategic evolution. Other brands have also built lasting reputations by radically adapting to their times:
Nintendo – From playing cards to digital worlds
What began in 1889 as a producer of hanafuda playing cards in Kyoto grew into a global leader in video games. Nintendo translated its playful roots into digital experiences, with iconic characters like Mario and Pokémon. The brand continues to evolve with new technologies without ever losing its accessible, childlike DNA.
