The strange online death and possible rebirth of brand theory and practice

Like a thief in the night, the Web has progressively undermined the validity of traditional brand theory and practice.Yet few brand owners and marketers appear to be aware of this fundamental shift and continue to treat the medium as if it were just another distribution channel, when in fact the Web demands a complete reappraisal of the brand building, marketing and total business processes. This paper aims to review traditional brand and marketing theory, to consider its relevance in the global digital age and to suggest necessary changes that brand owners need to manage in order to take advantage of and avoid the dangers inherent within a fast changing environment.