Wally Olins (1930–2014), corporate identity ascendancy and corporate brand hegemony. Celebrating the life of Wally Olins: Leading corporate identity exponent and prominent brand proponent

Abstract

This article outlines the nature, significance and legacy of Wally Olins (1930–2014) vis-a-vis corporate identity and brand management. Celebrated for his corporate identity/corporate brand consultancy work he is also known for his considerable published output relating to corporate identity and branding. In the writer’s estimation, Olins helped to inspire a generation of marketing scholars who, in turn, established corporate identity a distinct area of marketing thought. The author notes the significance of his binary definitions of corporate identity. Olins states that corporate identity is essentially design focused. He also states that it relates to an institution’s core traits and activities. As such, his reflections explain why, today, there are different approaches (both academic and practitioner) to the area. His explication of the corporate personality is also of note. It is argued that Olins was part of the English corporate-level marketing revolution where, along with academics and practitioners, the later including David Bernstein and Stephen King, he accorded importance not only to products and services in marketing contexts but, significantly, to corporations and other organisations too. For much of his career (1965–2000) he was a champion for corporate identity and the author herein offers two explanations why Olins distanced himself from the corporate identity construct post 2000 and focused on brands, and corporate brands.