I know that I know nothing: exploring the managerial relevance of recent orientations in brand management research

Brand scholars have devoted attention to different brand management schools, and recently, the co-creative school has been much in focus of brand research. This study aims to explore whether the brand schools distinguished in research are also perceived by brand practitioners, and if a turn towards co-creative paradigms is discernible there. In particular, four thematic complexes are used to narrow the field under examination: relevance of brand school taxonomies for managers, their knowledge about the co-creative school, ideas about a changing role for internal brand management, and their engagements to keep up with recent developments in branding theory. A qualitative study of 20 marketing professionals was undertaken to explore the issues. The results generally support other findings on existing theory-practise gaps. The data indicate that there is no awareness about different brand management schools within the group of managers. The co-creative school has not been appreciated by professionals, accordingly. However, internal brand management is seen as a field of pivotal relevance. Regarding their individual lifelong learning, brand managers do not report any systematic initiatives to connect to brand theory or research; managers do neither have any expectations about learning from current brand research. Implications for further research and management are discussed.