Brand Meaning Co-Creation and Co-Construction in Dynamic Stakeholder Networks

New notions of corporate brand meaning construction are emerging, which view brand meaning as co-constructed in a collaborative effort between multiple stakeholders. This view challenges the existing hegemony in the brand management literature, which sees brand meaning as the prerogative of brand managers and their agencies. A number of authors note that brand meaning is not a singular concept but has multiple meanings (Berthon, Pitt & Campbell, 2009). The co-construction of brand meaning takes place through the processes and relationships within the stakeholder eco-system (Kornum & Mühlbacher, 2013). Meaning co-creation affects both brands as well as stakeholder involved (see e.g., Journal of Business Research Special Issue on “Co-creating Stakeholder and Brand Identities” for related new research impulses). Whilst extant brand management literature has posited that brand is a consequence of managerial tactics and planning, the co-construction approach requires that we adopt more new approaches to the analysis of this multi-actor and multi-dimensional phenomenon (Saraniemi & Kylanen, 2011).

 

The emergent literature on brand meaning co-creation is wide but also disparate. It encompasses: conceptual pieces (Merz, He & Vargo, 2009), brand communities (Schau, Muniz & Arnould, 2009), multi-stakeholder discourse (Vallaster & Wallpach, 2013), tourist destinations (Saraniemi & Kylanen, 2011), public relations (Madhavaram, Badrinarayanan, & McDonald, 2005) and Business-to-business networks (Mäläskä, Saraniemi & Tähtinen, 2011). Further, literature applies different terms and concepts (e.g., brand identity, image, reputation, etc.) that can eventually be subsumed and discussed under the umbrella concept of “brand meaning”. 

 

The purpose of this opening network event is to bring together leading critical scholars with interest in exploring and discussing the co-creation and co-construction of brand meaning.

 

Contact:

Workshop organizer: Richard Jones, Associate Professor, rj.marktg@cbs.dk