The corporate brand identity matrix

The lack of a widely agreed framework to help define and align corporate brand identity constitutes a serious managerial problem and a shortcoming of the academic literature. In response, this article provides such a framework, the Corporate Brand Identity Matrix (CBIM), which draws upon the relevant literature, enriched by hands-on corporate experience gained by its application in three international corporate branding case studies. Corporate brand identity is explored internally, externally and by focusing on the ‘brand core’. The CBIM offers academics and managers a theoretical and practical guide to the describing, defining and aligning of corporate brand identity. It is a tailored alternative to existing frameworks, which have often been designed for product brands, not corporate brands.