Brands using historical references : a consumers’ perspective

While existing literature on brand heritage focuses on corporate perspectives, this paper investigates the gap between intended and perceived heritage. Two sequential qualitative studies were performed: the preliminary study is based on observation and enables the selection of 27 fast moving consumer brands using historical references that are explicit for consumers; the main study is composed of 25 semi-structured interviews of consumers in order to analyse their interpretations. Results show that consumers know little about parent companies behind brands. However, they imagine that companies are seeking a compromise between an ideal tradition and a necessary modernity. Finally, they also distinguish different strategies in the management of temporality. Results outline the critical role of the consumers and enable to distinguish two types of brands – familiar and aristocratic ones – and to formulate two distinct sets of recommendations for them based on the use of historical references.