Introduction to the special section “Brand and Innovation Interdependency”

Excerpt

Over the past decade, a number of empirical studies and analytical models have contributed to our understanding of brand and innovation management. Although branding and innovation are both popular and fruitful areas of academic research, we suggest a more expansive discussion to consider the interrelationship between the two in greater detail. To help address this complex interdependency, we issued a call for papers to encourage research that unites the two often disparate disciplines. The timing of the special issue is appropriate because many firms today are based and deeply rely on both strong brands and product and service innovations for their long-term survival and success. For example, many fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies focus on strengthening brands with products and services of superior value supported by new technologies and innovations to improve the lives of consumers (e.g., Henkel, Procter & Gamble, Unilever). …