Corporate heritage marketing consists of eight dimensions: corporate heritage character/communications/covenant/conceptualisations/culture/constituencies/custodianship/context. Key corporate heritage traits requisites encompass omni-temporality institution trait constancy external/internal tri-generational hereditary augmented role identities ceaseless multigenerational stakeholder utility and unremitting management tenacity. The notions of corporate heritage marketing and total corporate heritage communications are introduced and articulated. Findings ‐ A provisional theory of corporate heritage sustainability is articulated, as is the enumeration of key corporate heritage traits. In illuminating key points, it also makes reference to extant corporate heritage entities/brands. Design/methodology/approach ‐ As befits an opening article of the first special edition specifically devoted to corporate heritage, this article is largely conceptual in character and draws on the extant literature on corporate heritage brands and identities. The paper seeks to specify the requisites of corporate heritage and to introduce and explicate the corporate heritage marketing and total corporate heritage communications notions. Purpose ‐ The purpose of this paper is to advance the general understanding of the corporate heritage domain. In this seminal article on corporate heritage brands, explicit instrumental insights relating to monarchies as corporate heritage brands (and implicit insights vis-a ` -vis corporate heritage brands) were detailed along with empirical and conceptual contributions in relation to the nature of corporate heritage brands. The article is informed by Balmer's earlier work on the British monarchy including a detailed scrutiny of the literature on and historiography of monarchy ( Balmer, 2004Balmer,, 2008). (2006) The introduction and initial characterisation of the corporate heritage brand construct The first article, (Balmer et al., 2006), based on empirical case study insights on monarchies, introduced and identified the corporate heritage brands notion.
Buttressing the corporate heritage brand notion (Urde et al., 2007) Building on the above insights (Balmer et al., 2006), the corporate heritage brand notion was further explicated and its nature more clearly articulated by the same CCIJ 18,3 Balmer et al. This article is timely in that it comes during the lead up to Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee celebrations 1952–2012 along with the wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton (April 2011). This study builds on earlier JBM articles on corporate heritage brands (Balmer et al, 2006 Urde et al, 2007). In addition, there is a management requirement to calibrate authenticity (taking institutional and identity perspectives) and affinity (being mindful of customers and stakeholder concerns). A central finding relates to the centrality of trust to the management and maintenance of monarchy.
This is predicated on public affinity towards the Monarchy and the Crown maintaining its authenticity as a corporate brand vis-à-vis its relationship with its brand community. For its part, the British Monarchy, as a corporate heritage brand, is also dependent on bilateral trust between the Crown and public. The management of corporate heritage brands requires policymakers to show corporate brand stewardship to four spheres of activity: (1) achieving trust between the brand and its brand community (2) preserving the brand's authenticity (3) showing sensitivity to public concerns and ensuring the brand remains relevant and respected (4) demonstrating empathy to environmental concerns and (5) ongoing stewardship of the corporate brand. Affinity captures the notion of public sovereignty (for any corporate heritage brand to endure there has to be public consent). Authenticity captures the notion of preserving the enduring identity traits of corporate heritage brands. Trust relates to the bilateral confidence between the institutional brand and stakeholders.
There are three key precepts that underpin salient corporate heritage brands: Trust, Authenticity and Affinity.