Mapping the domain of the fragmented field of internal branding
| Published date | 21 March 2016 |
| Pages | 43-57 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-11-2014-0751 |
| Date | 21 March 2016 |
| Author | Fathima Zahara Saleem,Oriol Iglesias |
| Subject Matter | Marketing,Product management,Brand management/equity |
Mapping the domain of the fragmented field
of internal branding
Fathima Zahara Saleem and Oriol Iglesias
Department of Marketing Management, ESADE Business School, University Ramon Llull, Spain
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to build a comprehensive conceptual framework of internal branding, to demarcate this field from employer
branding and to develop an updated definition of internal branding that incorporates the findings of the literature review and emerging views in
branding.
Design/methodology/approach – This research conducts a systematic review of the internal branding and employer branding literature following
previously established procedures.
Findings – The major findings of this research are that internal branding comprises five key components within a supportive corporate culture,
namely, brand ideologies, brand leadership, brand-centred human resource management (HRM), internal brand communication and internal brand
communities; and that internal branding is related yet distinct from employer branding in its discipline, focus, components, outcomes and the role
of the brand. The paper concludes with a comprehensive definition of internal branding derived from the conceptual framework and recent trends
in branding, in addition to directed suggestions for future research in the field.
Research limitations/implications – This research highlights areas for future research within internal branding, including the need for further
research on internal brand communities and how brands can “internally brand” brand partners.
Practical implications – The research highlights the company-wide and brand partner-wide effort required in internal branding, in addition to the
necessity of a supportive corporate culture.
Originality/value – This is the first review of internal branding and employer branding that aims to differentiate between the constructs and build
a conceptual framework of internal branding, by drawing from the fields of HRM, marketing, branding and general management.
Keywords Employer branding, Brand identity, Internal branding
Paper type Literature review
Introduction
The current emerging approaches to brand management
suggest that brands are organic social processes (Iglesias et al.,
2013;Merz et al., 2009;Payne et al., 2009) and that brand
value is interactively co-created with multiple stakeholders
(Golant 2012;Iglesias et al., 2013;Merz et al., 2009;Vallaster
and Lindgreen, 2011). According to this perspective, there are
multiple touchpoints that influence the customer brand
experience and that need to be carefully managed (Brodie
et al. 2009;Payne et al., 2009). Among all these touchpoints,
it has traditionally been acknowledged that the direct
interactions between employees and customers are crucial in
building satisfaction and loyalty (Berry, 2000), especially in
service contexts (Sirianni et al., 2013) and at the corporate
brand level (Harris and de Chernatony 2001). However, the
role of employees in brand building has also been recognized
in other contexts, such as fast-moving consumer goods
(Iglesias et al., 2013). Moreover, the growing literature also
emphasizes the importance of online touchpoints and online
communities; this reinforces the role of internal branding in
ensuring that brand identity is also reflected through online
experiences (Ind et al., 2013;Ind, 2014).
Although internal branding emphasizes the role of
employees in several contexts, the literature on internal
branding focuses on managing the customer experience
through the internalization of brand values by employees.
However, this controlled and managed approach is
incongruent with the emerging approaches in brand
management, which challenge the brand promise delivery in
the traditional sense (Iglesias et al., 2013), as brand value is
created through conversations between employees and
multiple stakeholders (Golant, 2012;Merz et al., 2009;
Vallaster and Lindgreen, 2011).
Moreover, surprisingly, there are still many divergent and
fragmented conceptualizations of internal branding (Burmann
and Zeplin, 2005;Morhart et al., 2009) as the field is still
developing (Devasagayam et al., 2010). Additionally, the
concept of internal branding is often used interchangeably
with related concepts such as employer branding (Foster et al.,
2010) because of the different disciplines the concepts stem
from. Thus, even in the most recent literature on internal
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
25/1 (2016) 43–57
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-11-2014-0751]
This work has partially been supported by SUR (Secretaria d’Universitats
i Recerca) of the DEC (Departament d’Economia i Coneixement) of the
Government of Catalonia.
Received 23 November 2014
Revised 15 April 2015
Accepted 2 May 2015
43
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