Creating a compelling brand meaning by orchestrating stories: The case of Scandinavia's largest department store

The aim of this paper is to explore how a company can create a compelling brand meaning by orchestrating what is said in different points of contact with the brand. A case study of Scandinavia's largest store suggests that, in order to create a compelling brand meaning, a retailer need to manage oral and written stories, as well as stories told by facilities, goods, and services. It is argued that all stories need to be coherent in the sense that they all fit the brand meaning, and that it sometimes may require expansion of the retailer's control boundary. The case study also suggests that reality shows can be important points of contact, very much due to their ability to tell credible stories that can humanize the brand, and that individual employees can constitute important assets in these stories.