Question 1

How accurate is the brand ownership information?

Accepted Answer

We strive for the highest possible accuracy by verifying all information through multiple authoritative sources, including SEC filings, official company annual reports, and direct press releases. However, corporate structures change frequently due to mergers, acquisitions, and spin-offs. If you spot an error, please contact us at corrections@whobrands.com so we can correct it promptly.

Question 2

How often is the data updated?

Accepted Answer

Our team continuously monitors business news and market activities. Major acquisitions are typically reflected on our site within 48 hours of the deal closing. We also conduct periodic reviews of all major conglomerates to ensure our database remains current. Each brand and company profile displays a 'Last updated' date so you always know how fresh the information is.

Question 3

Where do you get your information?

Accepted Answer

We rely on primary sources whenever possible. This includes government regulatory filings (such as 10-K and 8-K forms via SEC EDGAR in the US), official corporate websites, investor relations pages, and verified press releases. We cross-reference with reputable business news outlets, including Bloomberg, Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times, to ensure we capture the full context of ownership changes.

Question 4

Why can't I find a specific brand?

Accepted Answer

While our database covers over 1,300 brands across 25+ categories, we may not have covered every brand yet. We prioritise popular consumer brands and major conglomerates. If there is a brand you would like to see added, please contact us and we will add it to our research queue.

Question 5

How do you handle independent brands?

Accepted Answer

We classify a brand as 'Independent' if it is not owned by a larger parent company that owns multiple other distinct brands. Many independent brands are privately held, though some may be publicly traded companies in their own right. Independent status is verified through the same primary source research process we apply to all entries.

Question 6

What does 'Publicly Traded' mean?

Accepted Answer

A publicly traded company is owned by shareholders and its stock trades on a public exchange like the NYSE or NASDAQ. This means anyone can buy a share of ownership in the company. In contrast, private companies are owned by founders, families, or private equity firms and do not trade on public stock exchanges. We display live stock data for publicly traded companies where available.

Question 7

What is the difference between a brand and a company on Who Brands?

Accepted Answer

On Who Brands, a 'company' refers to the legal corporate entity (e.g. Procter & Gamble), while a 'brand' refers to the consumer-facing product or service name owned by that company (e.g. Gillette, Tide, Pampers). One company can own dozens or even hundreds of brands. Our database maps these relationships so you can navigate from any brand to its parent company and vice versa.

Question 8

Do you cover international brands and companies?

Accepted Answer

Yes. While our initial focus was on major US and UK brands, we have expanded to cover brands and parent companies from across the globe, including European conglomerates (e.g. LVMH, Nestlé, Unilever), Japanese corporations (e.g. Sony, Toyota), and emerging market companies. We continue to expand our international coverage regularly.

Question 9

I found an error. How do I report it?

Accepted Answer

We actively welcome corrections. Please email corrections@whobrands.com with the URL of the page, a description of the error, and a link to a primary source (such as a company website, SEC filing, or reputable news article) that supports the correct information. We review all correction requests within 48 hours.

Question 10

Can I suggest a brand or company to be added?

Accepted Answer

Absolutely. Use the contact form on our Contact page or email hello@whobrands.com with the brand or company name and any relevant details. We prioritise additions based on user demand and the brand's consumer relevance.

Question 11

Do you accept guest contributions or sponsored content?

Accepted Answer

We do not currently accept guest posts or sponsored editorial content. All content on Who Brands is produced by our own research team to maintain consistency and editorial independence. Any sponsored or advertising content is clearly labelled as such and kept separate from our editorial database.

Question 12

Why do I see ads on Who Brands?

Accepted Answer

Who Brands is a free resource. To cover the costs of research, hosting, and development, we display advertisements served by Google AdSense. These ads help us keep the site free for everyone. We do not accept direct advertising deals that would influence our editorial content.

Question 13

Why are the ads relevant to things I searched for elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

Google AdSense uses cookies and your browsing history to serve personalised advertisements. This is a standard industry practice managed entirely by Google, not by Who Brands. You can opt out of personalised ads at any time via Google Ads Settings (g.co/adsettings) or the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out tool (optout.aboutads.info).

Question 14

Does Who Brands use affiliate links?

Accepted Answer

Yes, we may use affiliate links for some brands or products. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. However, our editorial content and ownership data are strictly separated from affiliate relationships. A brand's inclusion or exclusion from our database is never based on affiliate availability.

Question 15

Do you display job listings and are those paid placements?

Accepted Answer

We display job listings sourced from Adzuna on brand and company pages to provide additional context about those organisations. We may receive compensation when users interact with these listings. The presence of a job listing is not an endorsement of the employer or the position, and job listings are clearly separate from our editorial content.

Question 16

What data do you collect about me?

Accepted Answer

We collect minimal personal data. If you use our contact form, we collect the information you submit (name, email, message). We also collect anonymised usage data via Google Analytics (pages visited, time on site, device type). We do not sell your personal data to third parties. For full details, see our Privacy Policy.

Question 17

Can I use Who Brands without accepting cookies?

Accepted Answer

Essential cookies are required for the site to function and cannot be disabled. However, you can opt out of analytics and advertising cookies through your browser settings or via the opt-out tools listed in our Cookie Policy. Disabling advertising cookies will not remove ads. It will simply make them less personalised.

Question 18

How do I request deletion of my personal data?

Accepted Answer

You can request deletion of any personal data we hold about you by emailing hello@whobrands.com. We will process your request within 30 days, subject to any legal obligations that require us to retain certain records. We do not retain contact form submissions for more than 12 months.

Question 19

Do you offer an API for this data?

Accepted Answer

We do not currently offer a public API. However, if you are a researcher, journalist, or business interested in bulk data access or a data partnership, please contact us at hello@whobrands.com to discuss options.

Question 20

Can I use Who Brands data in my own project or article?

Accepted Answer

You are welcome to reference Who Brands as a source in articles, research, or projects, provided you credit us with a link back to the relevant page. Bulk reproduction, scraping, or redistribution of our database content without written permission is not permitted under our Terms of Service.

Question 21

Is Who Brands available in other languages?

Accepted Answer

Currently, Who Brands is available in English only. We are exploring multilingual support for future releases. If you are interested in contributing translations or partnering on localisation, please get in touch.

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