Branding Practices Research Articles

Scarring the black body: race and representation in African American literature

Scarring and the act of scarring are recurrent images in African American literature. In Scarring the Black Body, Carol E. Henderson analyzes the cultural and historical implications of scarring in a number of African American texts that feature the trope of the scar, including works by Sherley Anne Williams, Toni Morrison, Ann Petry, Ralph Ellison, and Richard Wright. first part of Scarring the Black Body, The Call, traces the process by which African bodies were Americanized through the practice of branding. Henderson incorporates various materials - from advertisements for the return of runaways to slave narratives - to examine the cultural practice of writing the body. She also considers ways in which writers and social activists, including Frederick Douglass, Olaudah Equiano, Harriet Tubman, and Sojourner Truth, developed a call centered on the body's scars to demand that people of African descent be given equal rights and protection under the law. In the second part of the book, The Response, Henderson goes on to show that more recent representations of the conditions of slavery by authors such as Williams and Morrison extend the efforts of their predecessors by developing creative responses to those calls centered around the African American body and its scars. Henderson explores Williams's reinvention of the whip-scarred body in her novel Dessa Rose and provides a close analysis of Morrison's use of scar imagery in Beloved. She also devotes a chapter to Petry's Street and concludes with an investigation of the wounded black male psyche in the works of Ralph Ellison and Richard Wright. Scarring the Black Body demonstrates that the creative acts of these authors bind together that which has been wounded both literally and figuratively. Those who hear the voices of the ancestors are urged to connect to that part of themselves wherein wounds of the past carry a self-knowledge that can alter the experiences of the present. In this way, the disfigured body as a cultural metaphor and social invention can come to terms with its own humanity and embodiment.

Corporate Identity and Corporate Associations: A Framework for Future Research

This paper captures the thoughts of an international consortium of researchers who study marketing- related phenomena related to the managerial choices and actions involved in organizational identity formation and communication, and the resulting interpretations and reactions of individual, group and societal constituents. It presents a framework for research and a listing of initial research priorities with the intent of encouraging all readers, regardless of academic discipline, to contribute to this growing field of inquiry that will have important implications for the study and practice of corporate branding.

“To Lose One’s Soul”: Blasphemy and Slavery in New Spain, 1596-1669

“To Lose One’s Soul”: Blasphemy and Slavery in New Spain, 1596-1669

The impact of brand orientation on managerial practice: a quantitative study of the UK's top 500 fundraising managers

AbstractThis paper explores the impact of brand orientation on the managerial practices of fundraising managers in the top 500 UK charities and, in particular, on their ability to attract voluntary income. A series of hypotheses was tested including whether level of brand orientation is associated with different patterns of influence within charities, with the range and type of brand communicators used and with the extent to which organisational objectives are fulfilled. A key finding of the research was that high brand‐oriented fundraising managers attract significantly more voluntary income than low brand‐oriented fundraisers, but that level of brand orientation was not related to statutory income. Such findings are consistent with current theory and practice of branding in which a brand is perceived as a product or organisation plus, where the plus indicates a unique set of values which allows differentiation and hence, donor choice, within competitive environments. Copyright © 2002 Henry Stewart Publications

Location branding: A study of the branding practices of 12 English cities

The practice of branding geographic locations such as countries, regions, cities and towns is increasing, yet there is a paucity of published research on the topic. The literature, such as it is, suggests that branding in such cases is at best complex and at worst impossible. This paper reports on a qualitative study of 12 ‘cities’ in the UK which sought to explore the role which branding plays in the marketing of these locations. The study purposefully excluded large cities such as London, Manchester and Glasgow, which have received extensive media attention. The results suggest that branding as a concept was seen as relevant but not always understood or applied effectively. The study provides insights into the key factors which affect the development of locations as brands. The four factors identified as being of particular significance were organisational complexity and control, the management of partnerships, product complexity and the measurement of success. The study concludes, nevertheless, that the branding of locations is not impossible and recommends an agenda for future research to address the key factors identified.

Brand orientation in the charity sector: a framework for discussion and research

AbstractSome charity organisations are turning to charity brand status, not only in terms of a name and logo but more importantly in terms of communicating value and meaning to their stakeholders. Brand orientation is described in this paper as the extent to which charity organisations regard themselves as brands, an indication of how much (or how little) organisations accept the theory and practice of branding. Through literature‐based and field‐based research, this paper examines the nature of brand orientation in the charity sector. A conceptual framework of brand orientation is proposed with antecedent factors which may augment or diminish levels of brand orientation and consequences which may follow its adoption. A number of research propositions are put forward which constitute both a framework for discussion and a research agenda for the charity sector. Copyright © 2001 Henry Stewart Publications

Branding on the Web: A real revolution?

Although much has been written about the marketing implications and opportunities of the ‘interactive revolution’, with particular emphasis on e-commerce and online advertising, the effect that this may have on the practice and theory of brand management has to date gone unexplored. To contribute to a better understanding, a series of one-to-one qualitative interviews was undertaken with companies in the UK and Italy, including traditional companies, dot.coms and brand consultancies. In this paper, differences in corporate attitudes to the Web are discussed and conclusions as to the way in which branding practice and theory are affected by the new technology are drawn. Finally, an updated model of brand management is suggested.

The strange online death and possible rebirth of brand theory and practice

Like a thief in the night, the Web has progressively undermined the validity of traditional brand theory and practice.Yet few brand owners and marketers appear to be aware of this fundamental shift and continue to treat the medium as if it were just another distribution channel, when in fact the Web demands a complete reappraisal of the brand building, marketing and total business processes. This paper aims to review traditional brand and marketing theory, to consider its relevance in the global digital age and to suggest necessary changes that brand owners need to manage in order to take advantage of and avoid the dangers inherent within a fast changing environment.

Perceptions of Branding among Television Station Managers: An Exploratory Analysis

This research assessed the perceptions of branding and branding practices among general managers of commercial television stations. The study concluded that general managers perceived branding to be an "important tactical management function" with branding applications in areas most related to news and promotion. In addition, the managers' commitment to brand research was linked to their understanding and positive perceptions of branding. Market sizes and news leadership were also related to perceived branding practices.

An empirical study which compares the organisational structures of companies managing the World’s Top 100 brands with those managing Outsider brands

Contains the results of a quantitative research study which compared the organisational structures of the World’s Top 100 brand companies with those of less successful companies, referred to in this article as Outsider brand companies. Identifies that whilst the type of organisational structure may not be seen as a determinant of brand success, perceptions of whether the organisational structure was right for them, were. In other words, managers of brands need to feel that the organisational structure allows them to manage in the way they consider necessary to deliver brand success. In some instances this might mean an authoritarian style of management through a hierarchical organisational structure and in others, it might mean a more democratic style of management through relatively flat organisational structures. The results are discussed in the context of brand management theory and practice and the postmodern paradigm shift regarding organisational structure.

Insights on the Theory and Practice of Branding

Design Management Journal (Former Series)Volume 8, Issue 1 p. 5-8 Insights on the Theory and Practice of Branding Thomas Walton Ph.D., Thomas Walton Ph.D.Search for more papers by this author Thomas Walton Ph.D., Thomas Walton Ph.D.Search for more papers by this author First published: 10 June 2010 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1948-7169.1997.tb00498.xAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Volume8, Issue1Winter 1997Pages 5-8 RelatedInformation