Challenging dominant paradigms: The contribution of brand sociology to purpose-driven brand management
Abstract
Brand management has become a respected science with various subdisciplines. At the same time, researchers have noted that the field tends to solidify popular paradigms and neglects critical contributions that challenge them. This could lead to concerns about the future of brands and brand management. The dominance of the co-creative school of brand management has resulted in a lack of consideration for other schools of thought, potentially leading to a loss of practical relevance. Brand sociology, a school of thought developed in Germany, has received little international attention despite its popularity in German-speaking countries. This perspective challenges existing explanatory patterns and offers a critical view of popular brand management approaches. This paper introduces the theory of brand sociology and develops four principles that are fundamental to brand management from this perspective. These principles are applied to the topic of purpose-driven brands, and it is demonstrated how brand sociology can provide new insights and challenge current marketing practices. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Oliver Errichiello is a brand sociologist with many years of experience as an international brand consultant, including at the Institut für Markentechnik, Geneva. After studying socio-economics and psychology in Hamburg and Lyon, he worked as a marketing manager. Errichiello is a lecturer in brand management at the University of Hamburg and the Universities of Lucerne and Bremen. He was appointed an honorary professor for ‘Brand Sociology/Brand Management’ at Mittweida University of Applied Sciences (Germany) in 2018. As founder of the brand development agency ‘Büro für Markenentwicklung’, Oliver bridges academic theory with practical application. He serves as the director of the Institute for Brand Sociology and Head of the Innovation Lab at Deutsche Seereederei, a German holding company with diverse subsidiaries across multiple sectors.
Holger J. Schmidt studied at the University of Mannheim and has a PhD in marketing from the Leibniz University of Hannover. His research focuses on the nature and design of relationships between brands, consumers and employees in various contexts. He is the author or editor of nine books, and his work has been published in journals such as the Journal of Brand Management, Journal of Product and Brand Management, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Journal of Social Business, Business Research, among others. Given his strong background in marketing practice, the practical relevance of marketing research has always been important to him.
