Abstract

This paper is part of an ongoing research regarding the relationship between branding and moral values, focusing on Western postmodern societies. It is also linking, in a rigorous way, academic research and industry thinking. The aim of this research is to find out the relationship between branding and self-identity in terms of authenticity, which is quite relevant nowadays amid a brand authenticity emergence. Following philosophical and sociological postmodern developments, which focus their epistemology in the understanding of everyday social practices, this research concentrates mainly on everydayness phenomenology and hermeneutic. One of the main, quotidian and traditional ways brands have to communicate with their target audiences and, therefore, to communicate meaningful authentic contents to them, is advertising. An advertisement analysis has been done using semiotics, in order to identify the values related with the moral ideal of authenticity. The results suggest that branding, by communicating authentic moral values, can give shape to individuals’ self-identity in terms of authenticity. Successful brands become moral frameworks and, therefore, an important part of their audiences’ culture. That guarantees a successful trajectory for brands, whilst establishing the moral challenge or duty of communicating moral values and building their own loyalty systems.