Recent research has shown that brands are interpreted in multiple ways, prompting an illuminating reconsideration of how branding 'works', and shifting attention from producers to consumer response in order to understand how this interaction creates meaning. Yet, till now, an awareness of the basic cultural processes affecting contemporary brands, such as historical context, ethical concerns and consumer response, has been missing. This fascinating book shows that neither managers nor consumers completely control branding processes - cultural codes constrain how brands work to produce meaning. Placing brands firmly within the context of culture, it investigates these complex foundations. Topics covered include: - brand building - corporate identity management - marketing communication - brand theory. Reflecting the growth of brand research, this excellent text includes case studies of iconic international brands such as Lego, Nokia and Benetton, and analysis by leading researchers including John Balmer, Mary Jo Hatch, Majken Schultz, and Richard Elliott. scholars interested in brands, consumers and the broader cultural landscape that surrounds them.

Brands occupy an increasingly prominent place in the managerial mind as well as the cultural landscape. Recent research has shown that brands are interpreted or read in multiple ways, prompting an important and illuminating reconsideration of how branding "works," and shifting attention from brand producers toward consumer response to understand how branding interacts with consumers to create meaning. Largely missing from these insights, however, is an awareness of basic cultural processes that affect contemporary brands, including historical context, ethical concerns, and consumer response. Neither managers nor consumers completely control branding processes - cultural codes constrain how brands work to produce meaning. "Brand Culture" places brands firmly within culture to look at the complex underpinnings of branding processes.
The reader finds case studies of iconic global brands, such as Benetton, LEGO, and Ryanair, and offers practical managerial advice as well as thoughtful analyses of broad concepts and strategic brand management by leading brand researchers, including John Balmer, Stephen Brown, Mary Jo Hatch, Majken Schultz, Soren Askegaard, Richard Elliott and Jean-Noel Kapferer.

A key characteristic of the twenty-first century economy is 'the image'. Brand development is based on image, products are advertised via images, and corporate image is critical for economic success. This book draws from art history, photography and visual studies to develop an interdisciplinary, image-based approach to understanding consumer behaviour.

Focusing on four themes: representation, photography, images and identity, it presents a theoretical perspective on visual consumption, providing wide-ranging examples from advertising, the internet, photography, design, theatre and tourism, and discusses the importance of the internet in bringing visual issues into the mainstream of strategic thinking; spurring research into perception of visual displays.

Incorporating case studies from the US, Europe and the UK, this book provides an unparalleled guide to the visual consumption processes necessary for understanding and succeeding in today's market.

A key characteristic of the twenty first century economy is 'the image'. Brand development is based on image, products are advertised via images, and corporate image is critical for economic success. This book draws from art history, photography and visual studies to develop an interdisciplinary, image-based approach to understanding consumer behaviour.

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Consumption studies has grown tremendously in the past decade. Researchers in sociology, geography, anthropology, history, marketing, management, organization and even art history have embraced consumption as a key institution of our era, and are eager for ideas and insights. Conversations on Consumption makes an important contribution to the growing field of consumption studies by offering readers a lively introduction to debates and dialogues that have shaped the field, in the form of engaging interviews and personal reflections from leading theorists and researchers. The interviews in this collection were first published in the interdisciplinary journal Consumption Markets and Culture and together form an accessible summary of the leading ideas and key developments in consumption studies and social theory over the past two decades. With innovative contributions from marketing academics, historians, consumer researchers, sociologists, anthropologists and artists, the pieces highlight the interdisciplinary nature of consumption, as well as the wide-ranging interest in consumption studies. They are united in their approach to understand consumption, far removed from economic or managerial analysis, by focusing more on the role it plays in culture. Conversations on Consumption will be of interest to scholars and students of sociology, anthropology, consumer research, management studies, and history.

Consumption studies has grown tremendously in the past decade. Researchers in sociology, geography, anthropology, history, marketing, management, organization and even art history have embraced consumption as a key institution of our era, and are eager for ideas and insights. Conversations on Consumption makes an important contribution to the growing field of consumption studies by offering readers a lively introduction to debates and dialogues that have shaped the field, in the form of engaging interviews and personal reflections from leading theorists and researchers. The interviews in this collection were first published in the interdisciplinary journal Consumption Markets and Culture and together form an accessible summary of the leading ideas and key developments in consumption studies and social theory over the past two decades. With innovative contributions from marketing academics, historians, consumer researchers, sociologists, anthropologists and artists, the pieces highlight the interdisciplinary nature of consumption, as well as the wide-ranging interest in consumption studies. They are united in their approach to understand consumption, far removed from economic or managerial analysis, by focusing more on the role it plays in culture. Conversations on Consumption will be of interest to scholars and students of sociology, anthropology, consumer research, management studies, and history.

August Strindberg and Visual Culture addresses the multiplicity of Strindberg's artistic and literary output. The book charts the vital intersections between theatre, aesthetic theory, and visual elements in his work that have been left largely unexplored. Rather than following traditional genre-bound critical approaches, this book focuses on the intermediality of individual works, the corpus as a whole, and their connections to a wide array of historical and contemporary artists, writers, photographers, film, theatre and museum practitioners. The book is beautifully illustrated, with many never-before-seen images from Strindberg's work, and includes contributions from actress Liv Ullmann, director Robert Wilson, and curator and museum director Daniel Birnbaum.

August Strindberg and Visual Culture addresses the multiplicity of Strindberg's artistic and literary output. The book charts the vital intersections between theatre, aesthetic theory, and visual elements in his work that have been left largely unexplored. Rather than following traditional genre-bound critical approaches, this book focuses on the intermediality of individual works, the corpus as a whole, and their connections to a wide array of historical and contemporary artists, writers, photographers, film, theatre and museum practitioners. The book is beautifully illustrated, with many never-before-seen images from Strindberg's work, and includes contributions from actress Liv Ullmann, director Robert Wilson, and curator and museum director Daniel Birnbaum.