Unpacking brand co-creation: a single-case study and empirical consolidation of brand co-creation performances following qualitative meta-synthesis

An increasing body of research adopts a performative perspective of brands, assuming that multiple actors co-create brands in interrelated brand co-creation performances (BCCP). While gaining traction in branding research, empirical work identifying BCCP is scarce (n = 3). BCCP have yet been discussed in single research contexts, evolving largely independent and leading to disparate findings. Initially, this research aims to expand existing empirical work. Using the unusually revelatory ‘over-over-the-top’ context of the sport brand FC St. Pauli, we apply semi-structured interviews, internal brand-related documents, media content analysis, and social media analysis to identify BCCP in a novel research context. Building on this single-case study and existing research on BCCP, we empirically consolidate these primary studies (n = 4) following qualitative meta-synthesis to unpack brand co-creation in various contexts. The empirical consolidation results in eight interrelated BCCP (i.e. communicating, implementing, contesting, developing, negotiating, facilitating, social listening, and assimilating), which are divided into direct brand co-creation performances (dBCCP) and enabling brand co-creation performances (eBCCP). This research contributes to branding literature by unpacking how (i.e. through which BCCP) multiple actors co-create brands. Additionally, it provides brand managers with an enhanced understanding of their brand and the influence of multiple internal and external actors.