Brand Identification: A Theory-based Construct for Conceptualizing Links between Corporate Branding, Identity and Communications

This conceptual paper looks at ‘brand identification’. It does this by providing an overview of social-identity theory as it illuminates marketing theories in customer relationships. We build on recent interest in the marketing literature in identity and develop a conceptual model of consumer brand identification in business relationships. Corporate identity has often been the entity that can be created/manipulated in design and marketing. Seen through the lens of organizational behaviour scholars this is perceived as organizational identity and in turn this is more focused on employee perceptions and responses. Brand identification links these two as it stresses the process by which individuals (customers and employees) may identify with the organization as a corporate brand. We offer this as providing theoretical foundations for a perspective integrating corporate branding, identity and communications. This is a timely contribution to issues of identity in marketing theory and practice.