Corporate identity manifested through historical references
Corporate Communications: An International Journal
ISSN: 1356-3289
Article publication date: 9 October 2009
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to focus on how firms draw on historical references in corporate marketing. The paper seeks to analyze the logic behind such efforts from a corporate identity perspective and to propose potential risks and/or benefits of doing so. The paper aims to inspire the understanding of how references to history are used in marketing and the outcome of such use.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper mainly draws on literature relating to corporate marketing and the use of history in organizations. Combining these theories, and pointing at empirical examples, the paper clarifies why references to history can be important manifestations of corporate identity. The paper comes up with propositions concerning what consequences the reference to history in corporate marketing can have for firms' marketing strategies and business development.
Findings
The paper outlines a connection among corporate identity, organizational identity, and image through corporate communications. It suggests that among the range of corporate characteristics, historical references can be particular valuable for corporate communications thanks to the reliability age can provide (as opposed to liabilities of newness). Still, elaborations suggest that the planned use of historical references has both pros and cons in terms of business development.
Originality/value
Despite the notion that history, as an inevitable and distinctive firm feature, can play an important role in corporate marketing, research on the topic is quite scarce. This paper offers some remedy to this gap by elaborating on the internal and external rationales for applying historical references and how these can be explained in connections between corporate identity and history.
Keywords
Citation
Blombäck, A. and Brunninge, O. (2009), "Corporate identity manifested through historical references", Corporate Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 14 No. 4, pp. 404-419. https://doi.org/10.1108/13563280910998754
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2009, Emerald Group Publishing Limited