Corporate brands and corporate identity : how to position the organisation amongst stakeholders in South Africa

Abstract

Abstract The current business environment has changed drastically from the environment that was prevalent prior to the turn of the century. Globalisation, and the introduction of new technologies, has changed the way business is being conducted and this has facilitated the development of new markets. Such disruptions have meant that competitive advantage is no longer sustainable over a long period of time because competitors can now easily replicate one’s products. In an attempt to sustain competitive advantage there has been an introduction of a new approach to marketing in organisations. Organisations are slowly shifting their approach from product branding to corporate branding. The aspect of corporate branding is a new concept that has gained traction only as recently as 1995. As a result, less is known about how the corporate branding process is initiated and conducted effectively in order to realise the desired outcomes. Consequently, a lot of marketing personnel confuse the concept of corporate branding with product branding which is more commonly understood and has been researched extensively. The main aim of this study is therefore to analyse how South African retail organisations are positioning their brands amongst their stakeholders. A fully comprehensive approach to corporate brand building, which seeks to include all of the organisation’s stakeholders, is most likely to be appealing to the organisation’s stakeholders ensuring a sustainable competitive advantage. External stakeholders, like the customers, will be more than happy to be associate with the corporate brand as it represent the promise that the organisation is pledging.