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The ethics of branding, customer-brand relationships, brand-equity strategy, and branding as a societal institution

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  • Hunt, Shelby D.

Abstract

The subject of branding, customer-brand relationships, brand equity strategies, and branding as a societal institution has become so controversial that an anti-branding movement has become widespread across several continents. This movement maintains that branding is not just problematic, but ethically wrong. This article uses the Hunt-Vitell theory of ethics to provide a framework for explicating people's personal moral codes, which in turn, helps us to understand the ethical controversy over branding. The article (1) provides a brief discussion of the nature of branding, (2) identifies major arguments that support the view that branding is morally wrong, (3) overviews the H–V theory of marketing ethics, (4) explicates the H–V theory's “personal moral codes” framework, and (5) shows how it provides a starting point for those who seek to understand, evaluate, and investigate the ethics of branding.

Suggested Citation

  • Hunt, Shelby D., 2019. "The ethics of branding, customer-brand relationships, brand-equity strategy, and branding as a societal institution," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 408-416.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:95:y:2019:i:c:p:408-416
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.07.044
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vladimir S. Zhechev & Denitsa P. Zhecheva, 2019. "Ethical Branding €“ Corporate Commitment Or Compliance With Contemporary Trends," Annals of marketing-mba, Department of Marketing, Marketing MBA (RSconsult), vol. 4, December.
    2. Xinxin Chen & Bohua Li, 2022. "Rethinking Cultural Creativity and Tourism Resilience in the Post-Pandemic Era in Chinese Traditional Villages," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-18, September.
    3. Clark, Terry & Azab, Carol & Martin Key, Thomas, 2024. "Marketing’s next era: The scope and impact of marketing’s future, the reach and legacy of Shelby Hunt," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    4. Jalal Rajeh Hanaysha, 2023. "Exploring the Relationship between Entrepreneurial Marketing Dimensions, Brand Equity and SME Growth," IIM Kozhikode Society & Management Review, , vol. 12(1), pages 22-38, January.
    5. Zimand-Sheiner, Dorit & Ryan, Tanya & Kip, Sema Misci & Lahav, Tamar, 2020. "Native advertising credibility perceptions and ethical attitudes: An exploratory study among adolescents in the United States, Turkey and Israel," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 608-619.
    6. Khodor SHATILA, 2021. "The Impact Of Banking Ethics On The Financial Performance Of Banks," Business Excellence and Management, Faculty of Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 11(4), pages 95-111, December.
    7. Almeyda, Marta & George, Babu, 2020. "Customer-Based Brand Equity For Tourist Destinations: A Comparison Of Equities Of Puerto Rico And The Us Virgin Islands," Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve, vol. 8(2), pages 148-172.
    8. Slamet Poerwadi & M. Suyanto & Anas Hidayat & Purwadi Purwadi & Zainal Mustafa Eq, 2020. "Influence of Brand Extention Strategy, Brand Image and Brand Trust on Coffee Product’s Brand Equity," International Journal of Marketing Studies, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 11(3), pages 1-26, March.
    9. Xiaohong Ren & Xiaoyan Wang & He Sun, 2020. "Key person ethical decision-making and substandard drugs rejection intentions," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(3), pages 1-19, March.
    10. Karen Hand & Rebecca Murphy & Malcolm MacLachlan & Stuart Colin Carr, 2022. "Worlds Apart? – The Challenges of Aligning Brand Value for NGO’s," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 19(3), pages 575-598, September.
    11. Lenka Cervova & Jitka Vavrova, 2021. "Customer-Based Brand Equity for a Tourism Destination: The Case of Croatia," Economies, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-12, November.
    12. Ahmed Taher & Amy Rizkalla, 2024. "How brand CSR responses to the pandemic impact brand value, growth, and rank," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-8, December.

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