مقاله سال ۲۰۱۶

Heritage branding represents an emerging strategic approach, rapidly rising internationally within the communication market (Misiura, 2006; Montemaggi & Severino, 2007; Urde, Greyser, & Balmer, 2007). It is based on the narrative reconstruction and strategic management of corporate history (Martino, 2013), also with reference to a company’s products and marketing brands.

In the new millennium, the practice of valuing and communicating industrial tradition has seen a real boom in Italy, as companies started to rediscover their own history and make it a distinctive communication strategy. Representative expressions of such phenomenon are the celebration of company anniversaries, often packaged in the formof communication events with high media potential. Secondly, the opening of historical archives and museums conserving industrial memory and ensuring a permanent fruition by the public. Furthermore, a rich digital storytelling combining the use of corporate website and social media.

On the one hand, the phenomenon of heritage branding concerns especially those historical companies representing a selected niche of the business market. They distinguish themselves for a special longevity, as they are proud of an at least centennial tradition and, generally, of a family ownership which is deep-rooted in the territory (de Geus, 1997; Giaretta, 2004; Rossato, 2013; Stadler, 2011). On the other hand, even companies which are not so ancient can value their own place within collective memory if they do not choose to promote a pure marketing storytelling (Boje, 2008, 2011), but to deeply rediscover their own history and share it with their stakeholders (Panda, 2006; Urde et al., 2007).