The Epic Fit: The Brand Building Process in a Dyadic Relationship

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to develop an understanding of the way in which a brand is developed in a dyadic relationship with an external stakeholder. Theoretical: This thesis bases its theoretical framework on two main theoretical fields: Actor-Network Theory and dialectics. Methodology: The thesis is an explorative qualitative study espousing an interpretivist view of the social world, using an abductive analytical method. The study takes the form of a case study carried out at Forsman & Bodenfors’ headquarters in Gothenburg. Data collection is done through observations and individual interviews. Empirical: The empirics of the study include 7 hours of interviews with 5 respondents and 7 hours of observation at the case agency. The selective transcripts totalled to 46 computer written pages. Conclusions: This thesis has concluded that the brand building process in the client-agency relationship is dependent on the key topics of negotiation, translation and long term dialogue. The thesis has also presented a model to illustrate the brand building process during an advertising campaign at the case agency.