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Corporate brand orientation: What is it? What of it?

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Abstract

In this article, the corporate brand orientation notion is formally introduced. To date, the brand orientation notion, as it applies to corporate brands, tends to be implicit rather than explicit. A corporate brand orientation refers to a category of institution where the corporate brand specifically acts as an entity’s cornerstone. It is a centripetal force that informs and guides the organisation. As such, both inherent and espoused corporate brand values/the corporate brand covenant underpins an organisation’s core philosophy and culture. It is also reflected in an entity’s purposes, activities and ethos (its corporate identity). It may also enlighten corporate strategy and management vision and provide a hub from which corporate brand communications and reputations can be evaluated. Key determinates of a corporate brand include meaningful identification with the corporate brand covenant/promise on the part of organisational members. A corporate brand orientation requires amenability to corporate marketing precepts that focuses on customers and other stakeholders taking an omni-temporal perspective and is mindful that corporate marketing is underpinned by societal and corporate social responsibility tenets. It is argued that a corporate brand orientation represents a logical development, if not a logical dénouement, of the brand orientation notion. In accordance with the precepts of this journal, the management of corporate brand orientation is considered.

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Notes

  1. For corporate and organisational marketing, see www.corporate-marketing.org/what-is-corporate-marketing/. The following note has been taken from the Website on corporate and organisational marketing (established in 2006 by Balmer and Powell). “Although corporate marketing is the established term for the domain from the early 2000 onwards, it was also recognised that in North America the label of organisational marketing might enjoy wider currency. Accordingly, when we launched this Website in 2006 we took care to also introduce Organizational Marketing alongside Corporate Marketing as applicable terms. Moreover, in 2006, we placed a call for papers for a special edition on Corporate and Organizational Marketing of the Journal of Brand Management, which was subsequently published during 2007”. Also see Balmer’s chapter on organisational marketing in Balmer (2013).

  2. NB corporate identity as defined here relates to an entity’s raison d’etre, organisational type, ethos, activities, outputs in terms of products and services, quality standards, geographic scope and so on. This is not to be confused with the definitions of corporate identity that variously characterise it as a vehicle for corporate communications and/or for corporate visual identification.

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Acknowledgements

The author appreciates the encouragement given by the three editors-in-chief of the Journal of Brand Management in the preparation of this commentary.

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  1. Brunel University, London, UK

    John M T Balmer

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  1. John M T Balmer
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1took his PhD at Strathclyde University, Scotland in 1996, and within 3 years was elected Professor of Corporate Identity at Bradford University School of Management. He subsequently was conferred the title of Professor of Corporate Brand/Identity Management in the same University in recognition of his seminal scholarship on both territories. In a similar vein, in 2007, he was appointed Professor of Corporate Marketing at Brunel University, London. All three Professorial positions are understood to be the first appointments of their kind. Since the early 1990s, he has been a leading proponent of the strategic importance of corporate identity, corporate brands and corporate marketing. He is known for his seminal articles in these areas which have been published in leading journals such as the California Management Review, European Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of General Management, Journal of Business Ethics, Long range Planning, British Journal of Management etc. Since the early 1990s, he has served as a guest editor/joint guest editor of around 20 special editions of academic journals. Arguably, have greatly facilitated the establishment of a distinct canon in the corporate brand, corporate identity, corporate marketing and, more recently, corporate heritage domains. He is the founder, chairman, and conference organiser of the International Corporate Identity Group (ICIG). The ICIG's aim is to advance awareness, scholarship and the dissemination of best practice in the corporate identity, corporate brand and corporate marketing territories. Established in 1994, an ICIG symposium has been held in most years since then. The lClG was formally launched at the House of Lords, Palace of Westminster (London) in 1995.

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Balmer, J. Corporate brand orientation: What is it? What of it?. J Brand Manag 20, 723–741 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2013.15

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