A single publishing company may have multiple imprints, often using the different names as brands to market works to various demographic consumer segments.
In some cases, the diversity results from the takeover of smaller publishers (or parts of their business) by a larger company.
In the case of Barnes & Noble, imprints have been used to facilitate the venture of a bookseller into publishing.
[3] This model has influenced rivals including Activision Blizzard, ZeniMax, Electronic Arts from 2008 to 2018, Warner Bros. Interactive, Embracer Group, and Koei Tecmo.
For example, the objective of Viking—an imprint of the Penguin Group—is "[t]o publish a strictly limited list of good nonfiction, such as biography, history and works on contemporary affairs, and distinguished fiction with some claim to permanent importance rather than ephemeral popular interest".