Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

The destructive side of branding : A heuristic model for analyzing the value of branding practice

Bertilsson, Jon LU and Rennstam, Jens LU (2018) In Organization 25(2). p.260-281
Abstract
Scholarship on branding has made important contributions in terms of the value-creating function of branding. However, previous literature has overemphasized the creation of value for organizations at the expense of an understanding of the destructive side of branding for organizations and society. Drawing on the work of Boltanski and Thevénot, we theorize value as different in separate ‘worlds of worth’ and offer a competing approach, arguing that the organizational practice of branding simultaneously and inevitably involves value-destructive aspects. In addition, to enable analysis of these value-destructive aspects, we argue that new understandings of what branding is are needed, and therefore, we introduce two new metaphors: branding... (More)
Scholarship on branding has made important contributions in terms of the value-creating function of branding. However, previous literature has overemphasized the creation of value for organizations at the expense of an understanding of the destructive side of branding for organizations and society. Drawing on the work of Boltanski and Thevénot, we theorize value as different in separate ‘worlds of worth’ and offer a competing approach, arguing that the organizational practice of branding simultaneously and inevitably involves value-destructive aspects. In addition, to enable analysis of these value-destructive aspects, we argue that new understandings of what branding is are needed, and therefore, we introduce two new metaphors: branding as discursive closure and branding as hypocrisy. Based on these conceptual developments, the article offers a heuristic model for analyzing how, and what types of, value may be destroyed in organizational branding practice. We thereby contribute with a critical understanding of organizational branding that acknowledges the conflictual relationship between value regimes and enables a balanced analysis of the social consequences of branding. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
branding, destruction, discursive closure, hypocrisy, value
in
Organization
volume
25
issue
2
pages
22 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85043305328
ISSN
1350-5084
DOI
10.1177/1350508417712431
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
5b822673-5b1d-4f3d-8623-92b7c9d778a2
date added to LUP
2017-06-24 14:43:27
date last changed
2022-04-17 02:37:08
@article{5b822673-5b1d-4f3d-8623-92b7c9d778a2,
  abstract     = {{Scholarship on branding has made important contributions in terms of the value-creating function of branding. However, previous literature has overemphasized the creation of value for organizations at the expense of an understanding of the destructive side of branding for organizations and society. Drawing on the work of Boltanski and Thevénot, we theorize value as different in separate ‘worlds of worth’ and offer a competing approach, arguing that the organizational practice of branding simultaneously and inevitably involves value-destructive aspects. In addition, to enable analysis of these value-destructive aspects, we argue that new understandings of what branding is are needed, and therefore, we introduce two new metaphors: branding as discursive closure and branding as hypocrisy. Based on these conceptual developments, the article offers a heuristic model for analyzing how, and what types of, value may be destroyed in organizational branding practice. We thereby contribute with a critical understanding of organizational branding that acknowledges the conflictual relationship between value regimes and enables a balanced analysis of the social consequences of branding.}},
  author       = {{Bertilsson, Jon and Rennstam, Jens}},
  issn         = {{1350-5084}},
  keywords     = {{branding; destruction; discursive closure; hypocrisy; value}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{03}},
  number       = {{2}},
  pages        = {{260--281}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Organization}},
  title        = {{The destructive side of branding : A heuristic model for analyzing the value of branding practice}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1350508417712431}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/1350508417712431}},
  volume       = {{25}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}