The projection of authenticity is one of the key pillars of marketing. Research reveals that consumers seek authenticity through the brands they choose. Based on extensive research with consumers and brand managers this book offers seven guiding principles for building brand authenticity.

The projection of authenticity is one of the key pillars of marketing. Research reveals that consumers seek authenticity through the brands they choose. Based on extensive research with consumers and brand managers this book offers seven guiding principles for building brand authenticity.

"Public Relations, Branding and Authenticity: Brand Communications in the Digital Age explores the role of PR and branding in society by considering the notion of authentic communications within the context of an emerging digital media environment. This qualitative analysis explores the challenge of developing authentic brand narratives in the digital age, whilst questioning the problematic nature of authenticity itself. Case studies of public relations activity of successful brands, and those in crisis, are supplemented by interviews with senior public relations and branding practitioners. The book lays out three specific arguments. Firstly, a repositioning of the relationship between public relations and brand practice is explored. It is argued that public relations practitioners are well placed to facilitate brands in the digital age, because of the inherent acceptance of the value of relationship building, adaptation and boundary spanning embedded in PR practice and best practice theory. Secondly, the book introduces a new concept of riparian brands. Such brands are based on solid core values, but have an ability to atune, adjust and naturalise to the prevailing social, cultural and economic environment. Thirdly, the book presents an ontology of the riparian brand in the form of an authentic brand wheel and 15 real-time interaction success factors. Aimed at both academics and practitioners interested in the theoretical development of PR and its emerging relationship with branding, it will also be of interest to scholars of corporate communications, corporate reputation and branding"--

A stimulating, smart book on what it means to live in a brand culture Brands are everywhere. Branding is central to political campaigns and political protest movements; the alchemy of social media and self-branding creates overnight celebrities; the self-proclaimed “greening” of institutions and merchant goods is nearly universal. But while the practice of branding is typically understood as a tool of marketing, a method of attaching social meaning to a commodity as a way to make it more personally resonant with consumers, Sarah Banet-Weiser argues that in the contemporary era, brands are about culture as much as they are about economics. That, in fact, we live in a brand culture. AuthenticTM maintains that branding has extended beyond a business model to become both reliant on, and reflective of, our most basic social and cultural relations. Further, these types of brand relationships have become cultural contexts for everyday living, individual identity, and personal relationships—what Banet-Weiser refers to as “brand cultures.” Distinct brand cultures, that at times overlap and compete with each other, are taken up in each chapter: the normalization of a feminized “self-brand” in social media, the brand culture of street art in urban spaces, religious brand cultures such as “New Age Spirituality” and “Prosperity Christianity,”and the culture of green branding and “shopping for change.” In a culture where graffiti artists loan their visions to both subway walls and department stores, buying a cup of “fair-trade” coffee is a political statement, and religion is mass-marketed on t-shirts, Banet-Weiser questions the distinction between what we understand as the “authentic” and branding practices. But brand cultures are also contradictory and potentially rife with unexpected possibilities, leading AuthenticTM to articulate a politics of ambivalence, creating a lens through which we can see potential political possibilities within the new consumerism.

FINALIST - Business Book Awards 2019 - Embracing Change Category Brands are built on trust, but in a post-truth world they're faced with a serious challenge: so much of modern life is defined by mistrust. A shattering of the vital trust connection between brands and consumers, together with the evaporation of authenticity as a core brand pillar, is causing enormous problems for businesses on a global scale. If a brand isn't seen as trustworthy, then when choice is available it will be rejected in favour of one that is. The Post-Truth Business provides a way forward for any organization wishing to rebuild brand authenticity in a distrustful world. It explains the interconnected problems facing businesses, with important topics including: - The impact of fake news, disinformation and the weaponizing of lies - The safeguarding of privacy, alongside privacy as a tradable asset - Why and how brands must create communication with meaning - The dangers of inauthentic cultural marketing activities - Examples of conscious capitalism and brand activism - Lessons in authenticity from artisans and innovators - National branding and reputation capital - Leveraging the power of 'brand trust' The Post-Truth Business shows how to strengthen consumer engagement by closing the 'brand credibility gap'. It's packed with examples of inspiring people, brands and international campaigns from the fashion, beauty, outdoor, motor, drinks, finance, media, technology, entertainment and health sectors. Each of them demonstrates a dynamic and positive way forward.

This book offers an advanced breakthrough formula to build, implement, maintain, and cultivate an authentic, distinctive, relevant, and memorable Personal and Corporate Brand, which forms the key to enduring personal and business success. The new Personal Branding blueprint entails a systematic and integrated journey towards self-awareness, happiness, and enduring marketing success. If you are branded in this holistic way you will automatically attract success and the people and opportunities that are a perfect fit for you. Hubert Rampersad has introduced an advanced authentic Personal Branding model and practical related tools, that provide an excellent framework and roadmap for building a strong authentic Personal Brand, which is in harmony with your dreams, life purpose, values, genius, passion, and with things what you love doing. This new blueprint has been proven in practice to produce sustainable results, not only for individuals but also for companies. By aligning employee’s Personal Brand with their Corporate Brand you can realize the ‘best fit’ between employee and company, which creates a highly engaged and happy workforce.

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of various literatures related to consumer search for information, and its effect on markets. Normative models of consumer search prior to purchase, and of consumer search through experience, are reviewed first. Models of consumer consideration set formation are also outlined. These models are generally based on consumers balancing the costs and benefits of search, which implies that search should be limited if it is costly. The extensive empirical literature on consumer search, which is reviewed next, does indicate that search is limited. The third major section of this review discusses the effect of search on market equilibrium, and market forces related to the supply of information. These include models of how advertising, retailing, and the Internet become organized to facilitate consumer search. The review concludes with a discussion of overall findings and suggestions for further research.

Offering a new framework for nonprofit brand management, this book presents the Brand IDEA (Integrity, Democracy, and Affinity). The framework eschews traditional, outdated brand tenets of control and competition largely adopted from the private sector, in favor of a strategic approach centered on the mission and based on a participatory process, shared values, and the development of key partnerships. The results are nonprofit brands that create organizational cohesion and generate trust in order to build capacity and drive social impact. The book explores in detail how nonprofit organizations worldwide are developing and implementing new ways of thinking about and managing their organizational brands.

The 2020 Porchlight Marketing & Sales Book of the Year The cofounder and chief branding officer of Red Antler, the branding and marketing company for startups and new ventures, explains how hot new brands like Casper, Allbirds, Sweetgreen, and Everlane build devoted fan followings right out of the gate. We're in the midst of a startup revolution, with new brands popping up every day, taking over our Instagram feeds and vying for our affection. Every category is up for grabs, and traditional brands are seeing their businesses erode as hundreds of small companies encroach on their territory, each hoping to become the next runaway success. But it's not enough to have a great idea, or a cool logo. Emily Heyward founded Red Antler, the Brooklyn based brand and marketing company, to help entrepreneurs embed brand as a driver of business success from the beginning. In Obsessed, Heyward outlines the new principles of what it takes to build and launch a brand that has people queuing up to buy it on opening day. She takes you behind the scenes of the creation of some of today's hottest new brands, showing you: • How Casper was able to upend the mattress industry by building a beloved brand where none had existed before • How the dating app Hinge won a fanatical user base and great word-of-mouth with the promise that the app was "designed to be deleted" • Why luggage startup Away, now valued at $1.4 billion, could build their brand around love of travel by launching with just one product--a hard-shell carry-on suitcase--rather than a whole range of luggage offerings. Whether you're starting a new business, launching a new product line, or looking to refresh a brand for a new generation of customers, Obsessed shows you why the old rules of brand-building no longer apply, and what really works for today's customers.

How do people like Oprah Winfrey and the Dalai Lama create massive audiences and globally recognizable brands? The key is authenticity – presenting a genuine version of yourself in person, on the stage, and across your entire online presence. But while that’s easy to say, it’s much harder to actually do. Written by Maggie Eyre, an internationally recognized expert in personal presence and leadership motivation, Being You will teach you everything you need to know about personal branding. Whether you are the leader of an organization or team, engaged in creative work, searching for a new career, giving an important speech or presentation, wanting to network more effectively, or lobbying for a public position, this book provides you with a complete toolkit to developing a confident personal brand – both face-to-face and online. Illustrated with stories and case studies from some of the world’s biggest personal brands, Being You is practical, authoritative and inspirational. It’s your definitive guide to personal branding in the 21st century.