In an era where corporate consolidations are a common response to the need for growth,
synergies, and increased competitiveness, managing corporate brands in merged environments
is becoming an extremely complex strategic issue. Bringing together organizations with
different histories, cultures, and market positions requires more than just operational
integration; it also requires clear alignment of identities, thoughtful brand architecture, and a
concern for preserving the reputations of both the individual companies and the new group. In
practice, companies often underestimate the impact of corporate identity on internal cohesion
and external visibility, which can dilute the effects of a merger. The Actual I.T. Group, formed
by the merger of Itelis, Unistar, Astec, and Actual I.T., faces the dilemma of whether to maintain
the architecture of several separate corporate brands or to move to a single corporate brand. It
is interesting to explore whether a structured model, such as SIDEC, can aid in this type of
strategic decision-making. The model enables reflection on five key branding dimensions,
opening up space to consider what it truly means to have a unified corporate brand, not only
visually, but also in terms of value, identity, and business.
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