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Samsonite International S.A. is now called Samsonite Group S.A. Not a radical rebranding, but a meaningful strategic adjustment. The new name highlights Samsonite’s role as an umbrella brand above a portfolio that includes High Sierra, American Tourister and Gregory. 
Earlier, Remarkable contributed to harmonising <a href="https://www.remarkable.eu/en/case/samsonite-logo-development-brand-change/">Samsonite</a>’s visual identity by developing a more unified logo style that reinforces brand recognition and consistency.
The decision to give the group the same name as its best-known product raises important questions. What does it bring to brand architecture? And where do the risks lie?
&nbsp;
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-4574 size-full aligncenter" src="https://admin.remarkable.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/Merken-onder-Samsonite-Group.png" alt="Brands Samsonite Group" width="605" height="167" srcset="https://admin.remarkable.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/Merken-onder-Samsonite-Group.png 605w, https://admin.remarkable.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/Merken-onder-Samsonite-Group-300x83.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 605px) 100vw, 605px" />

1. Building on existing equity 
An established name offers a strong foundation for the group and ensures instant recognition. The group leverages the reputation of the product brand, both in terms of image and in areas like investment and employer branding.
It is also practically efficient: the name has typically already been tested and approved on legal, linguistic and marketing levels, saving time and costs during further rollout.
2. Other brands benefit too 
A strong name carries credibility to other brands and products within the same group. It gives consumers confidence, even in lesser-known sub-brands. The impact of the main brand doesn’t only strengthen the organisation’s profile — it also lifts the image of the other brands.
Sub-brands like Okay and Spar benefit from the brand equity that Colruyt, the main brand, has built. On Remarkable’s advice, Colruyt Group is clearly endorsed in their communication, strengthening the link with the main brand and actively sharing customer trust across the entire group.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-4576 size-full aligncenter" src="https://admin.remarkable.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/Endorsement-spar.jpg" alt="RemarkableEurope_Endorsement_ColruytGroup" width="524" height="353" srcset="https://admin.remarkable.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/Endorsement-spar.jpg 524w, https://admin.remarkable.eu/content/uploads/2025/04/Endorsement-spar-300x202.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 524px) 100vw, 524px" />

The power of a recognisable group name

1. Lack of clarity in brand architecture 
Wanneer groep en hoofdmerk dezelfde naam dragen, kan de merkarchitectuur minder duidelijk zijn. Zowel intern als extern wordt het moeilijker om onderscheid te maken tussen de verschillende merken, en hun specifieke rollen.
Bovendien rijst de vraag hoe de hiërarchie tussen het hoofdmerk en de andere merken binnen de groep precies ligt: staat het hoofdmerk ook formeel boven de rest? En hoe breng je die verhouding duidelijk over naar de buitenwereld zonder verwarring te creëren? Zonder expliciete merkhiërarchie ontstaat het risico op inconsistentie in positionering en zodus verwarring.
Wat gebeurt er vervolgens als de groep een nog sterker merk overneemt? Verandert de naam van de groep dan naar dit nieuwe merk, of wordt een nieuwe naam gecreëerd?
2. Focus on the main brand, less space for the rest 
When the group shares its name with the main brand, there is a risk that other brands receive less attention and visibility. Internally and externally, focus naturally shifts toward the most well-known name, possibly leaving other brands underexposed.
<a href="https://www.remarkable.eu/en/case/arvesta-branding-architecture-naming-logo-corporate-identity/">Arvesta</a> mitigated this risk by deliberately moving away from the name Aveve Group and creating a new group identity. Under Remarkable’s guidance, the name Arvesta was chosen as a neutral umbrella name. This gave the broader brand portfolio — active in agriculture, food and retail — renewed visibility alongside the well-known consumer brand Aveve.
The name Arvesta also evokes associations with quality, agricultural expertise and strategic investment potential, without being too narrowly tied to any one activity. As such, it works well as a unifying group brand for a diverse set of businesses.

The pitfalls of a shared name

RemarkableEurope_BrandArchitecture_Arvesta

3. Limited room to grow 
A name that is strongly linked to a specific category can be limiting when the brand wants to expand into new domains. That name automatically carries certain expectations.

A shared name is never neutral. It’s a strategic statement that defines how the brand develops, how it’s structured internally, and how it’s perceived externally.
Stuck on a strategic branding challenge, or want to avoid unnecessary complexity in the future? Get in touch — we’re happy to help you think through clear brand structures, sustainable brand architecture and smart decisions on a strategic, creative and legal level.

A name that works is no coincidence 

Samsonite and Samsonite Group: What if product and group share the same name?

Summer has arrived, so it&#8217;s time for a well-deserved vacation! Before going home, you might buy a souvenir or local delicacy. Many of these products have a sticker that indicates for example the origin of the product. But what is the difference between blue and red stickers? And what exactly is it: a designation of origin?&nbsp;

<h2>
 Three times quality</h2>
A first quality label is the&nbsp;Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). This label is awarded to products made in a particular region that have specific characteristics because they are produced, processed and prepared completely in that region according to the local methods. Some examples are Parmigiano Reggiano, Parmesan cheese, and Champagne from France&#8217;s Champagne region.
Another quality label is the&nbsp;Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). This one is also used to indicate that a particular product comes from a particular region and that it has certain characteristics of that region. The important difference with the PDO label is that the conditions for obtaining a PGI label are less strict. &nbsp;For example, it is sufficient that the product is produced, or processed, or prepared in the specific region. In other words, the product only has to be produced partially in the specific region. Some local examples are the Azalea flowers of Ghent, but also the Jambon d&#8217;Ardenne. Until recently, vineyards in the French department of Corrèze were also protected as PGIs, but white, red and straw wines have recently moved to the stricter protection PDO.
The third and final quality label is the&nbsp;Guaranteed Traditional Specialty (TSG). This label simply confirms that a product is made in a traditional way, giving it certain characteristics that are different from similar products in the same category.
A product can be considered traditional if it has been sold on the EU market for a period of at least 30 years without any changes. Therefore, a link to a specific region is not required to obtain this label. Some examples of TSG products are Mozzarella cheese and Belgian Lambic beers. For example, the Belgian dairy cooperative Milcobel is one of the largest Mozzarella producers in Europe.

<h2>
 From protected origin to ground for refusal</h2>
In addition, it is important to notice that the mentioned protected indications of origin may form a ground for refusal when applying for trademark registration. This means that your trademark application can be refused on absolute grounds if your trademark corresponds to a protected indication of origin.
Quality labels also can&#8217;t be equated with mentions such as &#8220;Made in Belgium,&#8221; for which uniform rules do not apply. As an alternative, Remarkable created for Fevia the trademark&nbsp;<a href="https://www.food.be/">food.be</a>&nbsp;as a label brand to actively promote all Belgian food companies abroad. And with this, the expressive slogan was also created; Small Country. Great Food.

We also refer to an earlier blog about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.remarkable.eu/en/article/made-switzerland">Toblerone</a>, which is no longer allowed to mention &#8220;from Switzerland&#8221; on its packaging.

Quality on vacation