Catalan as a brand: A study of perceptions of Catalan using the language branding model

The prestige of languages is one of the factors that influence their acquisition, use and status. Drawing on analytical frameworks from communication studies, the language branding model proposes analysing the ‘brand’ of minority and minoritized languages, using branding tools both to assess their current condition and to design action-oriented interventions. Following the model’s application to Basque, this study advances its adaptation to the specific features of Catalan, examining the model’s five dimensions: Awareness, Associations, Attitudes, Attachment and Activity. This research employs focus groups with participants born in Catalonia and elsewhere, sampled by place of birth, age cohort, initial language and geographical area. The analysis explores perceptions, attributes and the social value of Catalan language. The findings validate the model and yield key insights into public perceptions of Catalan, examined here for the first time as a brand.