Branding Behind the Scenes: How Brand Managers Shape and Manage Brand Identity in Internet Brands
(2025) BUSN39 20251Department of Business Administration
- Abstract
- Title: Branding Behind the Scenes: How Brand Managers Shape and Manage Brand Identity in Internet Brands
Course: BUSN39 Degree Project in Global Marketing - Master Level
Authors: Amelie Lewenhaupt & Vasiliki Pispas
Supervisor: Veronika Tarnovskaya
Purpose: This explorative study aims to investigate how brand managers of internet brands shape and manage brand identity through specific, situated practices within dynamic digital environments.
Theoretical Lens: The study draws on Goffman’s dramaturgical theory (1959) and practice theory (Reckwitz, 2002; Schatzki et al. 2001) to examine branding both as a performance and routine. Goffman’s concept of frontstage and backstage is used to explore impression management in digital... (More) - Title: Branding Behind the Scenes: How Brand Managers Shape and Manage Brand Identity in Internet Brands
Course: BUSN39 Degree Project in Global Marketing - Master Level
Authors: Amelie Lewenhaupt & Vasiliki Pispas
Supervisor: Veronika Tarnovskaya
Purpose: This explorative study aims to investigate how brand managers of internet brands shape and manage brand identity through specific, situated practices within dynamic digital environments.
Theoretical Lens: The study draws on Goffman’s dramaturgical theory (1959) and practice theory (Reckwitz, 2002; Schatzki et al. 2001) to examine branding both as a performance and routine. Goffman’s concept of frontstage and backstage is used to explore impression management in digital contexts. This is supported by practice theory, which emphasizes the embedded, material, and routine actions through which brand identity is shaped and managed.
Methodology: This qualitative study adopts a relativist and social constructionist view with abductive reasoning. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with brand managers at eight different internet brands. A thorough thematic analysis was then completed.
Findings & Contributions: This study finds that internet brand identity is continuously shaped and managed through context-specific, reflexive practices. Through thematic analysis, four interlinked themes emerged, around which specific branding practices were identified. The study contributes a practice-based framework that conceptualizes branding as a fluid, performative process unfolding across blurred frontstage and backstage domains. It highlights the need to reconceptualize internet branding as distinct from traditional models, grounded in the situated, managerial practices enacted in digital environments.
Key Words: Internet Brands, Brand Identity, Brand Managers, Digital Environments, Goffman, Frontstage/Backstage, Practice Theory, Practices (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9206942
- author
- Lewenhaupt, Amelie LU and Pispas, Vasiliki LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- BUSN39 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
- subject
- keywords
- Internet Brands, Brand Identity, Brand Managers, Digital Environments, Goffman, Frontstage/Backstage, Practice Theory, Practices
- language
- English
- id
- 9206942
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-30 15:40:29
- date last changed
- 2025-06-30 15:40:29
@misc{9206942,
abstract = {{Title: Branding Behind the Scenes: How Brand Managers Shape and Manage Brand Identity in Internet Brands
Course: BUSN39 Degree Project in Global Marketing - Master Level
Authors: Amelie Lewenhaupt & Vasiliki Pispas
Supervisor: Veronika Tarnovskaya
Purpose: This explorative study aims to investigate how brand managers of internet brands shape and manage brand identity through specific, situated practices within dynamic digital environments.
Theoretical Lens: The study draws on Goffman’s dramaturgical theory (1959) and practice theory (Reckwitz, 2002; Schatzki et al. 2001) to examine branding both as a performance and routine. Goffman’s concept of frontstage and backstage is used to explore impression management in digital contexts. This is supported by practice theory, which emphasizes the embedded, material, and routine actions through which brand identity is shaped and managed.
Methodology: This qualitative study adopts a relativist and social constructionist view with abductive reasoning. Empirical data was collected through semi-structured interviews with brand managers at eight different internet brands. A thorough thematic analysis was then completed.
Findings & Contributions: This study finds that internet brand identity is continuously shaped and managed through context-specific, reflexive practices. Through thematic analysis, four interlinked themes emerged, around which specific branding practices were identified. The study contributes a practice-based framework that conceptualizes branding as a fluid, performative process unfolding across blurred frontstage and backstage domains. It highlights the need to reconceptualize internet branding as distinct from traditional models, grounded in the situated, managerial practices enacted in digital environments.
Key Words: Internet Brands, Brand Identity, Brand Managers, Digital Environments, Goffman, Frontstage/Backstage, Practice Theory, Practices}},
author = {{Lewenhaupt, Amelie and Pispas, Vasiliki}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Branding Behind the Scenes: How Brand Managers Shape and Manage Brand Identity in Internet Brands}},
year = {{2025}},
}