ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces a new perspective on brand management: brand polyphony. Much of the traditional literature and research on brand management praises the principles of consistency, alignment, and one corporate brand voice. This does not, however, necessarily reflect the reality in which brand managers of today navigate the context and communication of their brand. Here, the metaphor of multiple voices, or polyphony, known from organizational studies might offer a more updated and suitable approach to brand management; An approach where the aim is to create harmony between multiple brand voices rather than to establish and enforce just one dominant brand voice. Brand polyphony becomes even more pertinent when zooming in on the internal voices of the brand, because, as the chapter argues, internal stakeholders are far from being one, homogenous group. In line with findings from organizational studies, this chapter consequently suggests that internal voices must be acknowledged as just as diverse and potentially conflicting as external voices. And for that reason, brand managers must take upon themselves the role of orchestrating multiple and diverse brand voices, starting from the inside and expanding it to the outside, in order to create brand polyphony and harmony – not cacophony.
