Activating A Brands Track Record Using Retro Branding

Abstract: Title: Activating a Brands Track Record using Retro Branding; Looking to the Past to Shape the Future. Date of Seminar: 2019-06-03 Course: BUSN39 Degree Project in Global Marketing Authors: Malte Bäck & Niklas Heed Supervisor: Mats Urde Keywords: Retro Branding, Retro Brand, Brand Track Record, Strategic Brand Management Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to explore the phenomenon of retro branding and how it can activate a corporate brands track record, from a strategic brand management perspective. Methodology: This thesis utilizes a qualitative methodological, in the form of a multiple case study. This research is of an inductive nature, with the aim of generating novel theory within the field of retro branding in connection to track record. The case companies will represent a variety of industries and products with the common theme of using historical elements in recent products. Theoretical Perspective: To develop novel theory and a new conceptual framework, the theoretical fields of corporate brands, retro branding, and brand track record will be the foundation on which the framework will stand. Empirical Data: The empirical data collected for this thesis consists of communication material related to products presented by the case companies, which all are corporate brands. The communication material is analysed to explore how the case companies have activated their track record with the help of retro brands. Conclusion: Retro branding activities and in particular different types of retro brands can through a range of different activations, activate a corporate brands track record, by the use of the retro brand as a vehicle for presenting a brand’s past achievements. More specifically, the corporate brands track record can be activated through the use of retro branding by showcasing and communicating its past achievements as features within new product offerings.