The relationship between corporate websites and brand equity: a conceptual framework and research agenda

The internet has been credited as an important advertising and direct marketing channel, which has the potential to revolutionise the branding of products and services. Yet, several studies have been forecasting the end of traditional brand management in today's e-markets. At the same time, there is ongoing discussion about the move towards corporate branding and brand equity. Brand equity is a long-established construct, which refers to the tangible and intangible value of brands and emphasises the strategic goals of branding, such as the creation of brand knowledge in consumers' minds from the firm's investment in various marketing and corporate communication programmes. With most of the world's greatest brands now being corporate names and investing in their own corporate websites as an alternative way to reach consumers, brand equity becomes relevant in any website development and evaluation process. This paper develops a series of propositions to demonstrate how corporate brand entities may manage their brand equity at their corporate website interface. Building on existing conceptual and empirical data we present a theoretical framework and research agenda of such a relationship.