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Lookup NU author(s): Professor Andrew Lindridge
This is the authors' accepted manuscript of an article that has been published in its final definitive form by Emerald Publishing Limited, 2022.
For re-use rights please refer to the publisher's terms and conditions.
Purpose – Existing brand literature on assemblage practices has focused on providing a map or geography of brand assemblages, suggesting that an artist brand’s ability to evolve and achieve brand longevity remains constant. Using geology of assemblage, this study explores the types and mechanisms of change in brand evolutions to address the problem of identifying when and how a brand can transform in an evolving marketplace. Design/methodology/approach - We apply an interpretive process data approach using secondary archival data and in-depth interviews with 31 self-identified fans to explore the artist brand David Bowie over his 50-year career. Findings – As an artist brand, Bowie’s ability to evolve his brand was constrained by his assemblage. Despite efforts to defy ageing and retain a youth audience appeal, both the media and his fans interpreted and judged Bowie’s current efforts from a historical perspective and continuously re-evaluated his brand limiting his ability to change to remain relevant. Practical implications – Brand managers, particularly artist brands and human brands, may find that their ability to change constrained by meanings in past strata over time. Withdrawal from the marketplace, the use of silence as communicative practice enables brand transformations. Originality – The geology of assemblage perspective offers a more nuanced understanding of brand changes over time beyond the possibilities of incremental or disruptive change. We identify the mechanisms of change that result in minor sedimentation, moderate cracks, and major ruptures in a brand’s evolution.
Author(s): Eagar T, Lindridge AM, Martin D
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: European Journal of Marketing
Year: 2022
Volume: 56
Issue: 12
Pages: 3617-3651
Print publication date: 02/11/2022
Online publication date: 02/12/2022
Acceptance date: 03/10/2022
Date deposited: 03/10/2022
ISSN (print): 0309-0566
ISSN (electronic): 1758-7123
Publisher: Emerald Publishing Limited
URL: https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-04-2021-0252
DOI: 10.1108/EJM-04-2021-0252
ePrints DOI: 10.57711/5h56-zp55
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