Mapping the “roots” of the consumer's image‐in‐use of companies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a tool for mapping how consumers' past experiences influence the consumer's present corporate brand image.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used for analysing in‐depth conversational interviews collected on three IKEA markets (Sweden, Finland, and Germany).

Findings

The study shows that the tool gives an understanding of how past and present brand experiences are inter‐dependent.

Practical implications

The paper gives management an insight into consumers' perspectives of their corporate brand.

Originality/value

The value of the paper is that it offers a practical tool for mapping the roots of companies' current corporate brand images.

Citation

Rindell, A., Edvardsson, B. and Strandvik, T. (2010), "Mapping the “roots” of the consumer's image‐in‐use of companies", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 19 No. 6, pp. 423-431. https://doi.org/10.1108/10610421011085730