Future challenges and opportunities in brand management: An introduction to a commemorative special issue

Abstract

This commemorative special issue of the Journal of Brand Management has been developed in celebration of 21 years of the Journal. It features seven invited articles from some of the leading thinkers in our field covering a variety of contemporary topics. In this editorial we introduce the seven articles and also delineate five relevant challenges and opportunities to help improve the practical impact of research in our field. It is our hope this timely special issue stimulates the various academic and practitioner brand communities to help orientate future research, while also delivering inspiring ideas for practical implementation in brand management.

Trending topics plus future challenges and opportunities in brand management

“…A second topic of emerging interest is clustered around 'social media' and digital branding alongside keywords such as 'engagement', 'online community' and 'brand meaning'. A high number of citations in these topics within JBM during the past five years imply the development of new knowledge on brand management in the digital environment, where until recently research was relatively scarce (Brexendorf et al 2014). It also shows that JBM has a firm role in this area of new knowledge development.…”

“…It also shows that JBM has a firm role in this area of new knowledge development. However, the question remains in what ways are articles able to develop useful frameworks that would provide managerial guidance within the digital landscape-a concern raised by the previous editorial team (Brexendorf et al 2014).…”

“…Previous editor insights (e.g. Melewar 2008;Brexendorf et al 2014;Kernstock and Powell 2018) have noted the exciting shifts which have been occurring in the brand management field over the last 2 decades. For example, in the Scopus database, the number of papers on these topics has increased significantly over the past 5 years, whilst the growing numbers of articles related to brand management has mirrored the transformations in business, social and technological environments.…”

“…Technological changes have further reduced barriers for new journals and other platforms to enter the 'publishing game', and a massive multiplication of scholarly journals has been noted (Davis 2014), whilst within academia the enduring pressures to publish and be evaluated through publication achievements is ever present (Styhre et al 2014). Often this means crafting the Journal article around 'safe' guidelines for rigour of the research but with a lack of substantial contribution to the field of brand management (Brexendorf et al 2014).…”

Twenty-five years of the Journal of Brand Management

“…By placing the role of the CEO in the context of corporate brand management, and connecting the concepts contribution to the leadership of a corporation, Stuart (2013) gives the philosophical school an anchor in the organisation. This perspective leads to the demand for ''bridging brand understanding and management'' for further research and management practice (Brexendorf et al 2015).…”