Public Relations, Branding and Authenticity

1 Introduction

Public relations, branding and authenticity

Successful branding in the digital age

According to the latest Forbes ranking, Apple is the world’s most valuable brand, with a brand valuation of $182.8 billion. The top 100 Forbes-rated brands for 2018 spanned 16 countries, crossed 20 broad industry categories, and had a cumulative brand value of $2.15 trillion (Forbes 2018). How do successful brands such as these gain trust and legitimisation from their brand users? Is brand loyalty and trust based on emotional or rational criteria, and why is it that some brands are perceived as authentic and others not? The nature of brands, the products they represent, communications policies, and overall reputation seem to be important components, ...