The decision is expected to lead to a brand strategy involving the opening of retail outlets, as revealed by Marketing last month (October 16).
Ministry will adopt a boutique approach that will see it sell non-Ministry branded goods, including clothes. It has previously dabbled in retail with a short-lived shop in Covent Garden.
The six-month brand review was conducted by Enterprise IG. Brand and commercial director CM Harper and head of strategic partnerships Nick Whitehurst, who were involved in the review process, have resigned following the restructure. Replacements have yet to be appointed.
Three marketing positions, of unspecified seniority and scope, are being recruited for the three divisions: brand, international and marketing.
The brand division will focus on expanding the Ministry brand into commercial areas such as retail, product licensing, design and the Ministry web site.
The international arm will encompass radio, touring and record compilation strategies.
The marketing division will form long-term relationships with like-minded brands, such as the recent tie-ups with Philips in Asia and Bacardi in Europe. The record company and club businesses are unaffected by the restructure.
Chief executive Mark Rodol denied the restructure was about cost savings and said it was geared toward moving the brand forward to meet long-term goals.
"We had a thorough examination of what we do, what we want to do and what our customers expect from us," said Rodol. "We are moving away from typical sponsorship deals and focusing on strategic brand partnerships that adhere to our brand."
A year ago, the company was forced to close Ministry magazine after falling sales. Trash, produced for Ministry of Sound by Conde Nast stalled after one issue. It will be rebranded as Ministry, but no launch date has been set.
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