Revolutionizing Brand Management: Artificial Intelligence as a Cognitive Strategy in the Digital Era

In an era defined by technology´s rapid advancement, the Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution has emerged as a transformative force with profound implications for numerous disciplines including Brand Management (BM). Nevertheless, due to a lack of research on AI in BM, this paper aims to determine what is the current theoretical framework to incorporate strategically AI into BM to keep competitiveness and whether it is a convenient decision for companies coming from different industries to include AI in BM. The study focuses on four research objectives: establishing a clear concept of AI and its relevance to BM, investigating current theoretical frameworks to incorporate AI into BM, including its requirements and outputs, and identifying the associated risks and limitations. A multistage methodology was employed, beginning with systematic literature reviews followed by formulating questions based on theoretical findings. Perspectives from two global BM agencies were gathered via questionnaires to complement the research. The research findings revealed a lack of agreement on the definition of AI and the absence of a universal formula for incorporating AI in BM. The decision depends on factors such as the brand, industry sector, and organization size. An integral framework was developed as a guide for strategically implementing AI in BM, addressing the need for AI assistance in tackling industry-related challenges. Further research is expected to explore additional applications and expand the knowledge in this area.