Brand discrepancies in networks: Empirical illustrations from food and furniture branding in SMEs

Brands become shaped by interaction processes in the networks they are embedded in. Research addressing this phenomenon has departed both from a co-creation angle, and to some extent by examining co-destruction. In this paper, we adopt a process-oriented multiple stakeholder view to brands and explore the concept of brand discrepancies. Through a qualitative, multiple case study methodology, we illuminate the variety of ways brand discrepancies express themselves. The cases depict interactive processes of value reconfiguration in three different settings, 1) brand repositioning resulting from adapting to changed customer relationships, 2) brand creation in a strategic shift from a seller of generic to branded products within existing customer relationships, and 3) in changing network position from contract manufacturer to being a brand governor. Brand discrepancies stemming from such multiplicity reveal the ever-changing nature of brand reality and allow them to be approached in a more authentic and realistic manner.