When it comes to branding the energy space, an exciting and largely unexplored field of research emerges. Energy companies are under the spotlight as consumers press for positive action on sustainability, CSR, and environmental issues. In light of this, this book has two objectives. First, the author explores the challenges and opportunities that experts within the field face when deciding on strategic brand direction. The results indicate that practitioners in recently liberalised markets have met the emerging branding challenges, such as differentiating commodities, meeting new consumer demands, and building strong brands. Second, the book examines, from an expert-practitioner point of view, whether branding and building brands are activities relevant to this type of market. This book, therefore, attempts to fill a literature gap, as it examines the applicability of theoretical and practical methods of branding and brand strategies in a commodity market, in this case the energy market.
Author(s): Fridrik Larsen
Publisher: Palgrave Pivot
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 155
City: London
Acknowledgements
Contents
Author Biography
List of Figures
List of Tables
1: Introduction
References
2: Literature Review on Energy Branding and Related Fields
2.1 Energy Market and Liberalisation
2.2 Branding
2.2.1 Brand Management
2.2.2 Branding in Different Markets
2.2.2.1 B2B Branding
2.2.2.2 Industrial Branding
2.2.2.3 Service Branding
2.2.2.4 Commodity Branding
2.2.3 Energy Branding
References
3: Methodology: A Qualitative Approach
3.1 The Qualitative Research Method
3.1.1 Interviews
3.1.2 Researcher’s Positionality
3.2 Data Collection
3.2.1 Participants
3.2.2 Research Questions
3.3 Data Analysis
3.3.1 ATLAS.ti Software
3.3.2 Coding Process
References
4: Findings: Understanding Modern Energy Brands
4.1 Branding in Energy Markets
4.1.1 Theme: Energy Market Characteristics
4.1.1.1 Energy Market in Transformation
4.1.1.2 Attributes of Energy Companies
4.1.1.3 Utilisation of Branding in the Energy Market
4.1.2 Theme: Branding Commodities
4.1.2.1 Commodity Branding
4.1.2.2 Service Branding
4.2 Brand Factors
4.2.1 Theme: Intrinsic Factors
4.2.1.1 Organisational Culture
4.2.1.2 Brand Building
4.2.1.3 Communications
4.2.2 Theme: Extrinsic Factors
4.2.2.1 Brand Purpose
4.2.2.2 Brand Promise
4.2.2.3 Brand Sentiments
4.3 The Value of Branding
4.3.1 Theme: Business-to-Business Branding
4.3.1.1 Frequent Misconceptions
4.3.1.2 Advantages of Brands
4.3.1.3 Brand-to-Human
4.3.2 Theme: Investing in Brands
4.3.2.1 Measurable ROI
4.3.2.2 Elusive Benefits
4.4 Sustainability and Energy Branding
4.4.1 Theme: Sustainable Energy Brands
4.4.1.1 Responsibility
4.4.1.2 Action over Words
4.4.1.3 Consumers’ Role
4.4.1.4 People, Planet, Profit: 3Ps or ‘the Triple Bottom Line’
References
5: Conclusion: Conceptual Model of Branding in the Energy Markets
References
Index
