The evolving brand logic: a service-dominant logic perspective

Michael A. Merz, Yi He, Stephen L. Vargo

Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science · 2009 · Volume 37 · Issue 3

Abstract

The meanings of brand and branding have been evolving over the past several decades. This evolution is converging on a new conceptual logic, which viewsbrandin terms of collaborative, value co-creation activities of firms and all of their stakeholders andbrand valuein terms of the stakeholders’ collectively perceived value-in-use. The authors argue that this new logic parallels and reflects the related, evolving service-dominant (S-D) logic in marketing. They provide an historical account of the branding literature, organize it into eras, and connect it to the evolution in marketing as captured by S-D logic. The analysis provides further support for the S-D logic of marketing and suggests a related research agenda for furthering the understanding of brand and branding. It also suggests that marketing managers might benefit from investing resources in building strong brand relationships with all of their stakeholders and a service-dominant firm philosophy built around brand value co-creation.

Keywords

Service-dominant logic, Goods-dominant logic, Branding, Brand creation, Brand evolution, Brand value, Brand logic, Co-creation of brands, Co-creation of value

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