Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Lifestyle Brands Acquired by Large Companies
Abstract
The trend of acquiring lifestyle brands has gained momentum in recent years, as large corporations incorporate these brands to remain at the forefront of their industries, strengthen consumer connections, and renew their symbolic identity. This movement poses significant challenges for brand management. In this context, the present study aims to identify and analyze, from a brand management perspective, the main challenges and opportunities faced by large corporations when acquiring lifestyle brands. The research adopts a qualitative approach, based on in-depth interviews with industry professionals, organized through an expert panel. The findings highlight opportunities related to knowledge exchange and synergies between the acquiring and acquired brands, while also underscoring relevant challenges, such as preserving authenticity and purpose, reconciling management styles, and expanding the brand without compromising its identity. Theoretically, the study contributes by applying Semprini’s (2010) brand identity model to the context of acquisitions. From a managerial standpoint, it offers insights to guide more strategic and sustainable acquisition processes.
Downloads
References
Akbar, M. M., & Wymer, W. (2016). Refining the conceptualization of brand authenticity. Journal of Brand Management, 23(2), 135–154. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-016-0023-3
Acar, A., Büyükdağ, N., Türten, B., Diker, E., & Çalışır, G. (2024). The role of brand identity, brand lifestyle congruence, and brand satisfaction on repurchase intention: A multi-group structural equation model. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 11(1102). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-03618-w
Akkaya, M. (2021). Understanding the impacts of lifestyle segmentation & perceived value on brand purchase intention: An empirical study in different product categories. European Management and Business Economics, 27, 100155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ther.2021.100155
Bardin, L. (1977). L’analyse de contenu. Paris, França: Presses Universitaires de France.
Bartsch, F., Zeugner-Roth, K. P., & Katsikeas, C. S. (2021). How do the three dimensions of authenticity influence consumer behavior? Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 50(2), 296–323. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-021-00813-y
Batra, R., Ahuvia, A., & Bagozzi, R. (2012). Brand love. Journal of Marketing, 76(2), 1–16.
Bauer, H., Heinrich, D., & Albrecht, C. (2009). All you need is love: Assessing consumers’ brand love. Proceedings of the American Marketing Association Summer Educators Conference, 15(2), 252–253.
Büyükdağ, N., & Kitapci, O. (2021). Antecedents of consumer–brand identification in terms of belonging brands. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 59, 102420. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102420
Calder, B. J. (2022). Customer interaction strategy, brand purpose and brand communities. Journal of Service Management, 33(4/5), 747–757. https://doi.org/10.1108/JOSM-11-2021-0410
Carroll, B., & Ahuvia, A. (2006). Some antecedents and outcomes of brand love. Marketing Letters, 17, 79–89.
Castro, J., Araújo, E. T. T. de, Tonelli, D. F., & Inácio, R. de O. (2024). Consumidores Engajados: O Papel da Comunicação de Marketing na Redução da Intenção de Boicote. Revista Interdisciplinar De Marketing, 14(2), 270-286. https://doi.org/10.4025/rimar.v14i2.74236
Catalin, M., & Andreea, P. (2014). Brands as a mean of consumer self-expression and desired personal lifestyle. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 109, 103–107.
Chernev, A., & Blair, S. (2015). Doing well by doing good: The benevolent halo of corporate social responsibility. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(6), 1412–1425.
Chernev, A., Hamilton, R., & Gal, D. (2011). Competing for consumer identity: Limits to self-expression and the perils of lifestyle branding. Journal of Marketing, 75(3), 66–82.
Chhabra, D. (2005). Defining authenticity and its determinants: Toward an authenticity flow model. Journal of Travel Research, 44(3), 64–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047287505276592
Damoiseau, Y., Black, W. C., & Raggio, R. D. (2011). Brand creation vs acquisition in portfolio expansion strategy. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 20(4), 268–281.
Dellagnelo, E. H. L., & da Silva, R. C. (2006). Pesquisa qualitativa em administração. In M. M. F. Vieira & D. M. Zouain (Orgs.), Análise de conteúdo e sua aplicação em pesquisa na administração (pp. 97–118). Rio de Janeiro, Brasil: Editora FGV.
Fernandes, T., Guzmán, F., & Mota, M. (2024). Purpose is the new branding: Understanding conscientious purpose-driven marketing and its impact on brand outcomes. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 33(6), 761–782. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-08-2023-4667
Fuat Firat, A., Dholakia, N., & Venkatesh, A. (1995). Marketing in a postmodern world. European Journal of Marketing, 29(1), 40–56.
Forbes. (2018). Small CPG brands are gaining the upper hand on giants – And now the big want to get even bigger. https://www.forbes.com/sites/andriacheng/2018/10/17/17-billion-this-is-how-much-sales-major-cpg-brands-have-lost-to-upstart-labels/
Gray, H., Dolan, R., Wilkie, D. C. H., Conduit, J., & Burgess, A. (2024). Social purpose branding approaches: A typology of how brands engage with a social purpose. European Journal of Marketing, 58(5), 1207–1240. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-08-2022-0588
Hajdas, M., & Kleczek, R. (2021). The real purpose of purpose-driven branding: Consumer empowerment and social transformations. Journal of Brand Management, 28, 359–373.
Hydock, C., Peharia, N., & Blair, S. (2020). Should your brand pick a side? How market share determines the impact of corporate political advocacy. Journal of Marketing Research, 57(6), 1135–1151.
Ismail, A. (2017). The influence of perceived social media marketing activities on brand loyalty: The mediation effect of brand and value consciousness. Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, 29(1), 129–144.
Joseph, R. E., Campos, R. D., & Massyliouk, M. F. da F. (2020). Construção Sociocultural de Marcas: Um Estudo de Caso. Revista Interdisciplinar De Marketing, 10(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.4025/rimar.v10i1.45821
Kantar. (2025). Marketing trends 2025. https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/marketing-trends
Kaplan, A., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59–68.
Kopka, U., Little, E., Moulton, J., Schmutzler, R., & Simon, P. (2020). What got us here won’t get us there: A new model for the consumer goods industry (McKinsey & Company White Paper). https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/consumer-packaged-goods/our-insights/what-got-us-here-wont-get-us-there-a-new-model-for-the-consumer-goods-industry. Acesso em 23.dez.2021.
Kososki, M. R., & Prado, P. H. M. (2019). Estrutura hierárquica de autenticidade de marca. Revista Brasileira de Marketing, 18(2), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.5585/remark.v18i2.3578
Lamberton, C., & Stephen, A. (2016). A thematic exploration of digital, social media, and mobile marketing: Research evolution from 2000 to 2015 and an agenda for future inquiry.
Journal of Marketing, 80(6), 146–172.
Nickerson, D., Lowe, M., Pattabhiramaiah, A., & Sorescu, A. (2021). The impact of corporate social responsibility on brand sales: An accountability perspective. Journal of Marketing.
Nunes, J. C., Ordanini, A., & Giambastiani, G. (2021). The concept of authenticity: What it means to consumers. Journal of Marketing, 85(4), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022242921997081
Özsomer, A., Batra, R., & Steenkamp, J.-B. E. M. (2024). Brands and branding around the world. Journal of International Marketing, 32(3), 1–4.
Pessôa, L. A. G. de P., Sant’Ana, V., & De Mello, F. (2015). Reflexões sobre as perspectivas de contribuição da semiótica francesa para os estudos de marketing e branding. Revista Interdisciplinar de Marketing, 5(2), 69–81. https://doi.org/10.4025/rimar.v5i2.27824
Rosado-Pinto, F., & Loureiro, S. M. C. (2021). Authenticity in the branding context: A systematic review. European Management Journal, 39(4), 559–570. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.emj.2021.04.005
Semprini, A. (2010). A marca pós-moderna: Poder e fragilidade da marca na sociedade contemporânea. São Paulo, Brasil: Estação das Letras e Cores.
Senturk, Ö. (2025, July 9). The future of growth is sustainable. Kantar. https://www.kantar.com/inspiration/sustainability/the-future-of-growth-is-sustainable
Sihvonen, J. (2019). Understanding the drivers of consumer-brand identification. Journal of Brand Management, 26, 583–594.
Södergren, J. (2021). Brand authenticity: 25 years of research. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45(4), 645–663. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12651
Spielmann, N., Williams, J., & Kohli, C. (2024). Branding terroir: How brands use place to build identity and authenticity. Journal of Business Research, 160, 113768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2023.113768
Swaminathan, V., Sorescu, A., Steenkamp, J., O’Guinn, T., & Schmitt, B. (2020). Branding in a hyperconnected world: Refocusing theories and rethinking boundaries. Journal of Marketing, 84(2), 24–46.
Thompson, M., MacInnis, D., & Park, C. (2005). The ties that bind: Measuring the strength of consumers’ emotional attachments to brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(1), 77–91.
Thorbjørnsen, H., & Dahlén, M. (2011). Customer reactions to acquirer-dominant mergers and acquisitions. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 28(4), 332–341.
Warren, C., Batra, R., Loureiro, S., & Bagozzi, R. (2019). Brand coolness. Journal of Marketing, 83(5), 36–56.
Williams, P., Escalas, J. E., & Morningstar, A. (2022). Conceptualizing brand purpose and considering its implications for consumer eudaimonic well-being. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 32(4), 699–723. https://doi.org/10.1002/jcpy.1324
Yin, R. K. (2015). Estudo de caso: planejamento e métodos (5ª ed.). Porto Alegre: Bookman.
Zhang, Z., Yao, A., & Yang, Z. (2024). Coach Versus Goldlion: The Effect of Socially Versus Personally Oriented Motives on Consumer Preference for Foreign and Domestic Masstige Brands in Emerging Markets. Journal of International Marketing, 32(3), 101–115.
Declaro que o presente artigo é original, não tendo sido submetido à publicação em qualquer outro periódico nacional ou internacional, quer seja em parte ou em sua totalidade. Declaro, ainda, que uma vez publicado na Revista Interdisciplinar de Marketing, editada pela Universidade Estadual de Maringá, o mesmo jamais será submetido por mim ou por qualquer um dos demais co-autores a qualquer outro meio de divulgação científica. Através deste instrumento, em meu nome e em nome dos demais co-autores, porventura existentes, cedo os direitos autorais do referido artigo à Universidade Estadual de Maringá e declaro estar ciente de que a não observância deste compromisso submeterá o infrator a sanções e penas previstas na Lei de Proteção de Direitos Autorias (Nº9609, de 19/02/98).
Em virtude de aparecerem nesta revista de acesso público, os artigos são de uso gratuito, com atribuições próprias, em aplicações educacionais e não-comerciais. À Revista Interdisciplinar de Marketing é permitido o uso dos trabalhos publicados para fins não-comerciais, incluindo o direito de enviar o trabalho para bases de dados de acesso público.