Towards a Paradigm Shift in Corporate Branding

This introductory chapter sets the scene for the themes explored in the book and outlines the significant changes that have led to a new perspective on corporate brand management. The chapter explores the emergence of corporate branding as a distinct field and how key megatrends, including the emergence of digital technologies, the shift to a service orientation and the emphasis on sustainability, have impacted on the practice of corporate brand management.

The chapter observes how companies have responded to the emerging paradigm in three ways. First, by moving away from the idea that corporate brands are created by managerial fiat, towards an approach that recognizes that brands are co-created together with stakeholders. Second, by shifting perspective away from a goods dominant logic, towards a service dominant logic view that puts an emphasis on stakeholder experience. Third, by challenging the validity of corporate social responsibility, which has too often been tangential, towards a recognition that conscientious corporate brands can play a positive and significant societal role if their purpose and values are core.