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Internal branding: conceptualization from a literature review and opportunities for future research

Author

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  • David Barros-Arrieta

    (Universidad de la Costa)

  • Ernesto García-Cali

Abstract

Recently, internal branding has gained relevance in the marketing literature because researchers recognize that corporate brand management not only implicates external actions but also an internal approach that involves employees. Despite the growing interest, there is no consensus among authors about antecedents, dimensions, and outcomes of internal branding. In this sense, this paper aims to explore the conceptualization of internal branding and to offer opportunities for future research. The study is a systematic literature review that uses a specific database. The contributions of each article were extracted, organized, and processed following systematic procedures. This review defines internal branding as a cross-functional process that involves both marketing and human resource departments. It focuses on managing the brand internally through brand-centered human resource management, internal brand communications, and brand leadership, with the aim of achieving brand outcomes among employees (brand understanding, brand identification, brand commitment, brand loyalty, brand citizenship behaviors) so they can build brand equity in front of external stakeholders. Although a lack of consensus had been established, the literature evidenced similarities that gave rise to the conceptualization proposed in this study. Nevertheless, the discussion about internal branding is still open because there are several issues to investigate in this field.

Suggested Citation

  • David Barros-Arrieta & Ernesto García-Cali, 2021. "Internal branding: conceptualization from a literature review and opportunities for future research," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 28(2), pages 133-151, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:jobman:v:28:y:2021:i:2:d:10.1057_s41262-020-00219-1
    DOI: 10.1057/s41262-020-00219-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Holger J. Schmidt & Carsten Baumgarth, 2018. "Strengthening internal brand equity with brand ambassador programs: development and testing of a success factor model," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 250-265, May.
    2. Rico Piehler, 2018. "Employees’ brand understanding, brand commitment, and brand citizenship behaviour: a closer look at the relationships among construct dimensions," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 217-234, May.
    3. Katharina Maria Hofer & Reinhard Grohs, 2018. "Sponsorship as an internal branding tool and its effects on employees’ identification with the brand," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 266-275, May.
    4. Pramod Iyer & Arezoo Davari & Audhesh Paswan, 2018. "Determinants of brand performance: the role of internal branding," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 202-216, May.
    5. Sunyoung Park & Karen R. Johnson & Sanghamitra Chaudhuri, 2019. "Promoting work engagement in the hotel sector: review and analysis," Management Research Review, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 42(8), pages 971-990, May.
    6. Emma Karanges & Kim A. Johnston & Ian Lings & Amanda T. Beatson, 2018. "Brand signalling: An antecedent of employee brand understanding," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 235-249, May.
    7. Rico Piehler & Debra Grace & Christoph Burmann, 2018. "Internal brand management: introduction to the special issue and directions for future research," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 25(3), pages 197-201, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lina Xiong, 2023. "It takes a village: examining how and when brand-specific transformational leadership affects employees in internal brand management," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 30(4), pages 333-346, July.
    2. Barbara Del Bosco & Alice Mazzucchelli & Roberto Chierici, 2023. "Firm policies and employees’ participation in conversation about their employer on social media," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2023(3), pages 301-322, September.
    3. Galina Biedenbach & Thomas Biedenbach & Peter Hultén & Veronika Tarnovskaya, 2022. "Organizational resilience and internal branding: investigating the effects triggered by self-service technology," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 29(4), pages 420-433, July.
    4. Weng Marc Lim & Nishtha Malik & Sahil Gupta & Himanshu Rai, 2024. "Harnessing brand authenticity to promote prosocial service behavior," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(4), pages 449-468, July.
    5. Sandra Maria Correia Loureiro, 2023. "Overview of the brand journey and opportunities for future studies," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2023(2), pages 179-206, June.
    6. Aya Aboelenien & Chau Minh Nguyen, 2024. "From Dr. Seuss to Barbie’s cancellation: brand’s institutional work in response to changed market logics," Journal of Brand Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 31(2), pages 108-125, March.
    7. Siano, Alfonso & Vollero, Agostino & Bertolini, Alessandra, 2022. "From brand control to brand co-creation: An integrated framework of brand paradigms and emerging brand perspectives," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 372-386.

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