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Corporate rebranding failure and brand meanings in the digital environment

Tarnovskaya, Veronika LU and Biedenbach, Galina (2018) In Marketing Intelligence and Planning 36(4). p.455-469
Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamic process of brand meaning creation by multiple stakeholders during corporate rebranding in the digital environment. Design/methodology/approach: By applying a symbolic interactionist perspective, the case study analyses a failed corporate rebranding of Gap. A variety of narratives by managers, consumers, designers, and marketing professionals were captured by collecting qualitative data on Facebook, Twitter, and professional forums on the internet. Findings: The study demonstrates that the process of brand meaning creation is affected by the complexity of brand meaning negotiation within and between different stakeholder groups. The findings illustrate that the polarisation... (More)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamic process of brand meaning creation by multiple stakeholders during corporate rebranding in the digital environment. Design/methodology/approach: By applying a symbolic interactionist perspective, the case study analyses a failed corporate rebranding of Gap. A variety of narratives by managers, consumers, designers, and marketing professionals were captured by collecting qualitative data on Facebook, Twitter, and professional forums on the internet. Findings: The study demonstrates that the process of brand meaning creation is affected by the complexity of brand meaning negotiation within and between different stakeholder groups. The findings illustrate that the polarisation of brand meanings, in which both antagonistic and supportive forms co-exist, has a determinable impact on the outcome of corporate rebranding. Research limitations/implications: The study analyses one case of corporate rebranding failure with the focus being on the four key stakeholder groups. Future studies could examine multiple cases of successful and failed corporate rebranding, including a broader variety of internal and external stakeholders. Practical implications: Marketing managers should engage multiple stakeholders proactively during the process of brand meaning creation. They are encouraged to learn from antagonistic incidents of brand meaning negotiation as well as to utilise opportunities arising during constructive episodes of brand meaning co-creation. Originality/value: The study contributes to previous research by exploring how the process of brand meaning creation can trigger the collision of brand meanings, which lead to the failure of corporate rebranding.

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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Brand meaning, Corporate branding, Digital marketing, Rebranding, Stakeholder management
in
Marketing Intelligence and Planning
volume
36
issue
4
pages
455 - 469
publisher
Emerald Group Publishing Limited
external identifiers
  • scopus:85045108582
ISSN
0263-4503
DOI
10.1108/MIP-09-2017-0192
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
36c1bc3b-8d72-4b31-9a33-522514c7a7a0
date added to LUP
2018-04-18 07:59:56
date last changed
2022-04-17 20:01:16
@article{36c1bc3b-8d72-4b31-9a33-522514c7a7a0,
  abstract     = {{<p>Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the dynamic process of brand meaning creation by multiple stakeholders during corporate rebranding in the digital environment. Design/methodology/approach: By applying a symbolic interactionist perspective, the case study analyses a failed corporate rebranding of Gap. A variety of narratives by managers, consumers, designers, and marketing professionals were captured by collecting qualitative data on Facebook, Twitter, and professional forums on the internet. Findings: The study demonstrates that the process of brand meaning creation is affected by the complexity of brand meaning negotiation within and between different stakeholder groups. The findings illustrate that the polarisation of brand meanings, in which both antagonistic and supportive forms co-exist, has a determinable impact on the outcome of corporate rebranding. Research limitations/implications: The study analyses one case of corporate rebranding failure with the focus being on the four key stakeholder groups. Future studies could examine multiple cases of successful and failed corporate rebranding, including a broader variety of internal and external stakeholders. Practical implications: Marketing managers should engage multiple stakeholders proactively during the process of brand meaning creation. They are encouraged to learn from antagonistic incidents of brand meaning negotiation as well as to utilise opportunities arising during constructive episodes of brand meaning co-creation. Originality/value: The study contributes to previous research by exploring how the process of brand meaning creation can trigger the collision of brand meanings, which lead to the failure of corporate rebranding.</p>}},
  author       = {{Tarnovskaya, Veronika and Biedenbach, Galina}},
  issn         = {{0263-4503}},
  keywords     = {{Brand meaning; Corporate branding; Digital marketing; Rebranding; Stakeholder management}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{455--469}},
  publisher    = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
  series       = {{Marketing Intelligence and Planning}},
  title        = {{Corporate rebranding failure and brand meanings in the digital environment}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/MIP-09-2017-0192}},
  doi          = {{10.1108/MIP-09-2017-0192}},
  volume       = {{36}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}