Significance of corporate brand for business-to-business companies

Recent years have witnessed growing interest in industrial/business-tobusiness (B2B) brands (Lynch and De Chernatony 2007; Michell, King and Reast 2001; Thompson, Knox and Mitchell 1998; Bendixen, Bukasa and Abratt 2004; Mudambi 2002; van Riel, Pahud de Mortanges and Streukens 2005; Taylor, Celuch and Goodwin 2004). Furthermore, there has been increasing interest in company/corporate brands, in general (e.g., Aaker 2004; Balmer 1995, 2001; Balmer and Soenen 1999; De Chernatony 1999, 2001; Gregory 2007; Harris and De Chernatony 2001; Hatch and Schultz 2001, 2003; Ind 1997; Macrae 1999; Roper and Davies 2007; Urde 1999; Wilson 2001), as well as in the B2B context (e.g. Lynch and De Chernatony 2004; Bendixen, Bukasa and Abratt 2004; Mudambi 2002; van Riel, Pahud de Mortanges and Streukens 2005). Also anecdotal evidence suggests that B2B companies have increasingly taken corporate brand management initiatives in recent years.