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Reimagining branding for the new B2B digital marketplace
Journal of Brand Strategy,
3
(4),
357-372
(2015)
Abstract
As digital technology is increasingly used to facilitate the business-to-business (B2B) buying process, the role of the salesperson in B2B branding appears to be diminishing. Instead of leading sales, marketing and branding conversations, the field sales force now commonly respond to a customer who has used digital technology to replace the information-providing role he or she formerly provided. This paper reviews the literature in B2B branding and suggests a radically different B2B marketing and branding framework to understand and manage the emerging buyer–seller relationships and the issues they raise. Recommendations for the new B2B interactive marketplace are made along with discussions on the reconceptualisation of what B2B brands and branding mean in this new age. A comprehensive research agenda for B2B branding is proposed to meet the challenges of this new marketplace.
Keywords: branding; digital marketplace; business-to-business marketing; sales forces; B2B branding; customer relationship management
The full article is available to subscribers to the journal.
Author's Biography
Don E. Schultz is Professor (Emeritus-in-Service) of Integrated Marketing Communications at the Medill School, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. He holds a BBA from the University of Oklahoma, and an MA and PhD from Michigan State University. He is President of Agora, Inc., a global marketing, communication and branding consulting firm. Schultz is author/co-author of 31 books and 150 trade, academic and professional articles.
