Constructing the Real: A Study of Brand Authenticity in Swedish Heritage Brands
(2025) SKOK11 20251Department of Strategic Communication
- Abstract
- This thesis explores the expressions, signals, and constructions of brand authenticity in Swedish heritage brands. A qualitative study was conducted using multimodal analysis to examine video advertisements from eleven Swedish heritage brands. The material was analyzed based on the theoretical framework that views brand authenticity as built on the cornerstones of consistency, honesty, and genuineness. The findings were categorized according to these cornerstones, merged, and coded through thematic analysis. The coded material was then interpreted through the lenses of semiotics, social semiotics, and concepts of brand authenticity and brand heritage.
The results indicate that brand authenticity can be conveyed through various... (More) - This thesis explores the expressions, signals, and constructions of brand authenticity in Swedish heritage brands. A qualitative study was conducted using multimodal analysis to examine video advertisements from eleven Swedish heritage brands. The material was analyzed based on the theoretical framework that views brand authenticity as built on the cornerstones of consistency, honesty, and genuineness. The findings were categorized according to these cornerstones, merged, and coded through thematic analysis. The coded material was then interpreted through the lenses of semiotics, social semiotics, and concepts of brand authenticity and brand heritage.
The results indicate that brand authenticity can be conveyed through various communicative signals linked to the identified cornerstones. Notably, the findings suggest the importance of consistent brand communication, references to cultural symbols and traditions, and realistic depictions of life in advertising. Furthermore, the thesis examined potential threats to brand authenticity. Significantly, the study also identified recognition as a potential fourth cornerstone of brand authenticity, offering a novel perspective and suggesting directions for future research. (Less) - Abstract (Swedish)
- Denna uppsats utforskar uttryck, signaler och konstruktioner av varumärkesautenticitet inom svenska varumärken med ett starkt kulturarv. Studien genomfördes som en kvalitativ undersökning där en multimodal analys användes för att granska innehållet i reklamfilmer från elva svenska varumärken. Materialet analyserades med utgångspunkt i ett teoretiskt ramverk som definierar varumärkesautenticitet som en produkt av tre grundläggande dimensioner: konsekvens, ärlighet och genuinitet. De mönster som identifierades i analysen kopplades till någon av dessa tre kategorier, och kodades sedan tematiskt. Därefter tolkades det kodade materialet med hjälp av semiotik, socialsemiotik samt teorier om varumärkesautenticitet och varumärkesarv.
Resultaten... (More) - Denna uppsats utforskar uttryck, signaler och konstruktioner av varumärkesautenticitet inom svenska varumärken med ett starkt kulturarv. Studien genomfördes som en kvalitativ undersökning där en multimodal analys användes för att granska innehållet i reklamfilmer från elva svenska varumärken. Materialet analyserades med utgångspunkt i ett teoretiskt ramverk som definierar varumärkesautenticitet som en produkt av tre grundläggande dimensioner: konsekvens, ärlighet och genuinitet. De mönster som identifierades i analysen kopplades till någon av dessa tre kategorier, och kodades sedan tematiskt. Därefter tolkades det kodade materialet med hjälp av semiotik, socialsemiotik samt teorier om varumärkesautenticitet och varumärkesarv.
Resultaten visar att varumärkesautenticitet kan kommuniceras genom olika uttryck kopplade till konsekvent, ärlig och genuin kommunikation. Studien understryker särskilt vikten av att förmedla en enhetlig varumärkesbild, referera till kulturella symboler och traditioner samt att gestalta livet på ett realistiskt sätt i marknadsföringen. Studien identifierade också kommunikationselement som kan utgöra potentiella hot mot upplevelsen av autenticitet. Slutligen föreslås igenkänning som en möjlig fjärde dimension av varumärkesautenticitet, vilket öppnar upp för nya perspektiv och vidare forskning inom området. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9194468
- author
- Netterheim, Linnéa LU and Landgren, Erik
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SKOK11 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- M2 - Bachelor Degree
- subject
- keywords
- Brand Authenticity, Brand Heritage, Heritage Brands, Authenticity Signals, Video Commercials, Marketing
- language
- English
- id
- 9194468
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-17 09:50:00
- date last changed
- 2025-06-17 09:50:00
@misc{9194468,
abstract = {{This thesis explores the expressions, signals, and constructions of brand authenticity in Swedish heritage brands. A qualitative study was conducted using multimodal analysis to examine video advertisements from eleven Swedish heritage brands. The material was analyzed based on the theoretical framework that views brand authenticity as built on the cornerstones of consistency, honesty, and genuineness. The findings were categorized according to these cornerstones, merged, and coded through thematic analysis. The coded material was then interpreted through the lenses of semiotics, social semiotics, and concepts of brand authenticity and brand heritage.
The results indicate that brand authenticity can be conveyed through various communicative signals linked to the identified cornerstones. Notably, the findings suggest the importance of consistent brand communication, references to cultural symbols and traditions, and realistic depictions of life in advertising. Furthermore, the thesis examined potential threats to brand authenticity. Significantly, the study also identified recognition as a potential fourth cornerstone of brand authenticity, offering a novel perspective and suggesting directions for future research.}},
author = {{Netterheim, Linnéa and Landgren, Erik}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Constructing the Real: A Study of Brand Authenticity in Swedish Heritage Brands}},
year = {{2025}},
}