The role of narrative in the creation of brand identity

Gabriel García Ochoa

Sarah Lorimer

pp. 243-263

in: Nicholas Monk, Mia Lindgren, Sarah McDonald, Sarah Pasfield-Neofitou (eds), Reconstructing identity, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2017

Abstract

In the social sciences, identity is regarded as either a singular or a collective construction. The former relates to self-identity, while the latter relates to group identity. Another form of identity that has arisen recently is brand identity. García Ochoa and Lorimer argue that an unusual quality of brand identity is that it stands at the intersection of two important narratives: its own and that of its consumers who, through the brands they select, tell stories about themselves. This intersection of stories has traditionally worked as a dialogue. Lately, however, the balance has shifted toward consumers, whose personal narratives increasingly determine the formation of brand identity. This chapter analyzes the role of narrative in the construction of brand identity.