Industrial branding in the digital age

Abstract

Purpose: This study describes the overall branding logic of an international industrial company operating in the renewable energy industry and responds to calls for empirical research on 1) how to build a B2B brand in the digital age, and 2) how digital media can be used for branding. A digital branding model is also developed. Design: A single case study of a company at the forefront of digital media usage is used to develop the model. The main data comes from semi-structured theme interviews and on content analysis of the channels used to create a brand on the Internet. Findings: In the digital age, firms seem to benefit from having a strong market orientation and a holistic branding approach with robust integration of their different functions. Branding in the digital age requires strong internal communication as well as consistent external communication, but also positioning of the brand in topical conversations. For an industrial organization, becoming an opinion leader is a strategy well suited to branding and can be supported by creating relevant content subsequently delivered through various social media channels. Research limitations: The results of this study are based on a single case study and hence are not generalizable. Originality: This study is among the first to respond to the calls for empirical research on industrial brand management in the digital age and contributes to the emerging B2B branding and branding on digital age literature.