| Pub. Date | : March, 2020 |
|---|---|
| Product Name | : The IUP Journal of Brand Management |
| Product Type | : Article |
| Product Code | : IJBRM20320 |
| Author Name | : Henrik Uggla |
| Availability | : YES |
| Subject/Domain | : Marketing |
| Download Format | : PDF Format |
| No. of Pages | : 4 |
The paper outlines the four most important research challenges for brand authenticity. Brand authenticity has come of age and there is an urgent need to overcome a set of dichotomies that create a brand strategy fog, surrounding the whole brand authenticity discourse in theory and practice. The following dichotomies are discussed: real versus perceived brand authenticity, brand origin versus country of origin, craftsmanship versus industrial brand heritage and premium versus luxury brands.
Real Versus Perceived Brand Authenticity
A distinction is sometimes made between real and perceived brand authenticity, and for this purpose brand strategists have developed scales on perceived brand authenticity, focusing on symbolism, consistency, integrity and heritage of the brand (Morhart et al., 2015). However, the distinction between real and perceived brand authenticity must be reconciled for the benefit of consumer experience and improved brand strategy. Clearer distinctions must be developed; consider, for example, Joe and the Juice, Juice bar. There are clear elements of real brand authenticity, such as fruits and vegetables turned into juice and perceived brand authenticity in terms of an imaginary life world, made up of a storyline, photos from exotics places, a certain design, story atmospherics and feeling of sitting in a library. The library is a perception or a perceived brand authenticity, while the vegetables and fruits are real. A strategic consideration and more subtle blend of real and perceived brand authenticity would perhaps improve the process.