Understanding blockchain’s influence on brand management: the blockchain branding model

Digital technologies, such as social media, big data, artificial intelligence, extended reality and blockchain, are the most significant factors that have led to a profound evolution of branding strategies and brand–consumer relationships (Veloutsou and Guzman, 2017; Ertemel, 2018; Keller, 2021). In a “data-rich” (Keller, 2020, p. 1000) and hyperconnected world (Swaminathan et al., 2020) managers cannot overlook recent technological advancements to optimally integrate them into their branding strategies (Hollebeek et al., 2022; Parris and Guzmán, 2023).

One of the emerging technological phenomena is Web 3.0, which represents a new evolution of the worldwide web but was conceived as a decentralized, ubiquitous and integrated environment of interaction. Web 3.0 is gaining momentum, with 94 billion USD already invested by companies (Holmes, 2023) and over 81 million wallet users in 2022 (Statista, 2023). Knowing Web 3.0 means understanding its enabling technology, which is blockchain, the infrastructure that allows for the systematic and chronological logging of transactions for the creation of a permanent and tamper-proof record of information (Peres et al., 2023).

Raised in the domain of cryptocurrencies, blockchain has widened its scope beyond securing information, exchanging financial assets (Du et al., 2019) or tokenized assets (Malik et al., 2023) to create new digital environments where brand activities can be framed, including exclusive tokenized branding events, brand communities, brand collectables or loyalty programs (Boukis, 2020; Colicev, 2022).

The growth of blockchain adoption by firms has attracted the interest of scholars, as the distinctive attributes of this technology – transparency, decentralization and immutability (Gleim and Stevens, 2021; Hakkarainen and Colicev, 2023) – can enable major changes in firms’ business models, marketing and branding. According to recent studies (Frizzo-Barker et al., 2020; Peres et al., 2023; Tan et al., 2024), despite blockchain’s growing relevance, research on its impact on marketing and, more specifically, branding, is still in its infancy and should be more investigated. An analysis of the contributions in this strand reveals two relevant gaps in terms of the themes discussed and the method adopted.

Regarding the former, previous studies are fragmented and focused on specific aspects of the brand management process. Some scholars addressed the activities connected to technological factors, resources and processes related to blockchain that can facilitate changes in branding (Hakkarainen and Colicev, 2023; Redler and Corvino, 2023; Deventer et al., 2024). Other studies highlighted that blockchain is an important tool for brand managers to build brand identity (Colicev, 2022; Shankar et al., 2024) and positioning (Boukis and Magrizos, 2018; Boukis, 2020; Chen et al., 2025) or to increase brand trust, engage consumers in the brand community and construct brand loyalty (Ante et al., 2024; Antoniadis et al., 2019; Erevelles et al., 2020; Ferreira da Silva and Moro, 2021; Hoang et al., 2024; Treiblmaier and Petrozhitskaya, 2023) and brand equity (Boukis, 2022; Peres et al., 2023). However, a holistic reading that jointly considers all the mentioned subthemes to delineate blockchain’s impact on the brand management process is lacking.

Regarding the latter (i.e. the method), previous studies have been conceptual (Boukis, 2020), and few empirical studies have adopted the consumer perspective to measure brand outcomes (e.g. brand attitude, brand engagement and brand loyalty) (Boukis, 2022; Utz et al., 2022; Xie et al., 2024). A managerial perspective focused on how blockchain could be implemented, and its contribution to brand management is lacking. Instead, it is a relevant point of view, as it could help investigate how blockchain is changing practitioners’ decisions while outlining the main challenges marketers face in implementing and managing brands through this technology.

Providing a comprehensive reading of the blockchain contribution to all the aspects of the brand management process from a managerial perspective seems important from a theoretical point of view because it could answer the call for “theoretical grounding, methodological diversity and empirically grounded work” (Frizzo-Barker et al., 2020, p. 1) to investigate the impact of blockchain on branding. This perspective is also relevant for practitioners, as building and managing strong brands is a priority for marketers because it serves as a measure of the effectiveness of marketing actions (Keller, 2006). This importance is even more significant in present markets characterized by continuous technological transformations (Veloutsou and Guzman, 2017) and driven by the evolution of breakthrough technologies, which are increasing market complexity (Keller, 2023).

Considering the aforementioned gaps, this work aims to provide a holistic and comprehensive view of the contribution of blockchain technology to the brand management process, integrating all relevant subthemes that previous studies have examined separately.

The research adopts a multistakeholder perspective by focusing on the viewpoints of managers. Concerning the specific research context, the agrifood sector provided a privileged viewpoint from which to observe the development of the adoption of blockchain by brands. In fact, within this industry, blockchain extends its scope across the value chain through the development of virtual platforms for selling NFTs and cryptoassets, as well as the adoption of ledger technologies for tracing product processes. This ecosystem actively involves consumers and brands and is expected to reach approximately 1.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2026 (Statista, 2020).

The results of this study have significant implications at both the theoretical and empirical levels. They provide a comprehensive understanding of the integration of blockchain in branding activities, allowing for the construction of the Blockchain Branding Model, an interpretive framework that comprises three levels: it describes how blockchain intervenes in accelerating brand enabling, strengthening brand building and nurturing brand–consumer relationship. The findings also demonstrate how blockchain projects can support brand practitioners in building strong brands by enhancing their intangible components, linking brands’ past and present, and developing a closer relationship with the consumer.

The paper is structured as follows. After a review of the literature on the relationship between blockchain and branding and a description of the rationale behind the purpose of the study, the methodology and the main findings are presented. Then, theoretical and managerial implications, limitations, and further research directions are described.

Blockchain technology consists of a digital ledger made up of a series of linked data blocks, each representing a transaction; this ledger takes the form of a distributed database shared on a large computer network (Gatomatis and Bogonikolos, 2021). Each participant in the blockchain system is a node that contributes to the validation of the transactions that occur in the chain based on a consensus formula; in other words, the transactions can be modified only if all the participants agree (Ølnes et al., 2017).

In marketing, blockchain applications are becoming increasingly relevant in both strategy and operations (Gatomatis and Bogonikolos, 2021; Hakkarainen and Colicev, 2023), and recently, the use of blockchain technology for marketing has attracted the attention of academia through the exploration of the role of blockchain in brand management from diverse lenses (Frizzo-Barker et al., 2020; Stallone et al., 2021). More specifically, these studies have addressed several brand management subthemes, as synthesized in Table 1.

Blockchain technology can represent for the company an asset capable of facilitating the building of successful brands both (i) by fostering innovation in value creation logics and (ii) by allowing the creation of an immutable digital twin of the product. With respect to the first issue, Hakkarainen and Colicev (2023) focused on blockchain-enabled brand value innovation, and three aspects emerged from their work:

• technology-focused service innovations through cryptocurrencies and smart contracts;

• customer-focused service innovations related to gamification experiences and loyalty programs; and

• product and brand innovations with NFTs (Hofstetter et al., 2022).

For digital twin, this refers to the digital counterpart of real objects, which provides digitally modeled behavior and the performance of physical entities. The use of blockchain makes the digital twin immutable and ensures its full correspondence with the physical object. Redler and Corvino (2023) argued that digital twins need to be considered a major issue for brand experience management in the digital era and the metaverse. Within this realm, several studies have investigated the role that NFTs (of which digital twins are a category) play in brand psychological evaluation processes (e.g. Sung et al., 2023; Xie et al., 2023; Deventer et al., 2024; Hofstetter et al., 2024; Xie et al., 2024).

Other scholars highlighted the important role of blockchain in (i) the construction of authentic brand identity and (ii) the definition of brand positioning and brand storytelling. Regarding the former, one of the latest published papers (Shankar et al., 2024) demonstrated, through research on managers and customers in a B2B context, that blockchain can positively impact brand identity and brand authenticity. Colicev (2022) consistently showed how blockchain can act as a valuable brand asset, allowing the creation of NFTs, which can be considered real standalone brand components. Concerning the latter, Boukis (2020) highlighted how blockchain can impact a brand’s image by enhancing its brand storytelling ability. Recognizing the presence of three distinct customer segments – i.e. speculators, casual collectors, and cryptocurrency natives - Chen et al. (2025) proposed tailored branding strategies for luxury brands in NFT markets. These strategies aim to establish a brand positioning that emphasizes either the potential financial returns of NFT investments, the unique and exclusive attributes of the products, or the transaction security guaranteed by blockchain technology. Implementing blockchain technology in storytelling activities offers new ways of attracting customer interest (Boukis and Magrizos, 2018) and allows brands to share their brand identity and unique aspects, such as production stages, by equipping their products with blockchain-enabled barcodes.

Most of the contributions in the realm of blockchain and branding can be traced back to subthemes inherent in the relationship between brand and consumer (e.g. Ante et al., 2024; Antoniadis et al., 2019; Erevelles et al., 2020; Ferreira da Silva and Moro, 2021; Hoang et al., 2024; Le, 2024; Treiblmaier and Petrozhitskaya, 2023). They highlighted how this technology is relevant for (i) improving customer experience; (ii) advancing brand communication; (iii) sustaining consumers’ trust and brand equity; and (iv) strengthening customer loyalty.

With respect to the impact of blockchain on customer experience, recent studies in the B2B context (Hoang et al., 2024) also highlighted a transformation in the utilization and management of customer data driven by blockchain technology. In B2C context, the involvement of third parties equipped with advanced technologies such as blockchain empowers consumers to trade their data directly with third parties instead of allowing advertisers to use their data without reciprocation (Boukis, 2020). At the same time, third-party management of consumer data enables brands to access these data to optimize advertising strategies while ensuring a better overall consumer experience. Colicev (2022) showed how blockchain and NFTs can act as valuable brand assets able to enhance the experience in all stages of the customer journey by generating awareness and leading to attachment through engagement activities that include the creation of brand communities and exclusive events.

Regarding the advancement of brand communication, recent research in social media (Dwivedi et al., 2021) highlighted the difficulty brands face in assessing the efficiency and effectiveness of online advertisements due to the absence of efficient tracking and verification systems for viewers. The near-total control of online advertising by intermediaries such as Meta and Google can also lead to increased advertising costs without a corresponding improvement in efficiency (Aguirre et al., 2015). These challenges can be reduced through the application of blockchain technology, which can help reduce the involvement of intermediaries and allows reliable verification of the number of viewers and engagement (Boukis, 2020).

The sustainment of consumers’ trust is crucial for all successful brand–consumer relationships; blockchain enhances brand trust by replacing subjective trust in brands with objective, verifiable distributed trust in technology to better ensure the integrity of a brand (Erevelles et al., 2020; Ferreira da Silva and Moro, 2021). Current research offers various avenues for bolstering consumer trust in a brand through the integration of blockchain technology, such as curbing counterfeit consumption and enhancing brand transparency (Boukis, 2020). Through blockchain technology, both firms and consumers can trace the authenticity and production conditions of products, thereby discerning their origin and mitigating the risk of counterfeit products reaching consumers (Le, 2024). Blockchain applications also support retailers and manufacturers by offering insights into the lifecycle of their products, covering details from raw material procurement to production conditions, supply chain logistics, retail distribution, and, ultimately, consumer interaction (Hoang et al., 2024).

Brand trust, in turn, is closely linked to brand equity from the consumer perspective. A recent editorial by Peres et al. (2023) suggested how blockchain technology could improve the management and measurement of customer-based brand equity (CBBE) through information stored in blockchains. Similarly, Boukis (2020, 2022) suggested that the technological features of blockchain could strengthen authenticity by providing assurances about a brand’s originality through the digital certification of its assets, thus establishing trust-based consumer relationships that drive consumer-based brand equity.

On the topic of customer loyalty, other scholars (Antoniadis et al., 2019; Treiblmaier and Petrozhitskaya, 2023; Hoang et al., 2024) explored the potential uses of blockchain in brand loyalty programs through asset tokenization and the exchange of rewards using cryptocurrencies to enhance the perceived value conveyed by brands. The implementation of blockchain-powered brand loyalty programs also provides advantages over traditional approaches by giving customers greater control over their data (Utz et al., 2022).

In summary, research on the impact of blockchain on branding noted the great potential of this technology, but, despite the relevance of this topic, the literature on the interplay between brand and blockchain has two significant limitations.

First, the literature is fragmented; papers focus on the impact of blockchain on individual aspects of the brand management process, devoting greater attention to the subthemes related to brand–consumer relationship (e.g. loyalty programs, online brand communication, brand trust), and a comprehensive view of the impact of blockchain on brand management is lacking.

Second, previous studies are mainly conceptual, and the adoption of a managerial perspective is still limited. In fact, as showed by Table 1, those empirical studies aiming at deepening blockchain branding outcomes have almost exclusively adopted the consumer perspective. The above analysis reveals that the only contributions that have adopted the managerial perspective (e.g. Hoang et al., 2024; Shankar et al., 2024) have focused on specific brand management subthemes (i.e. brand loyalty/trust and brand identity, respectively) in B2B contexts, which present very different dynamics from a branding perspective than those in B2C contexts (Leek and Christodoulides, 2011; Zhang and Du, 2020).

Considering the limitations of previous studies and the recent call for research (Frizzo-Barker et al., 2020; Gleim and Stevens, 2021; Peres et al., 2023), this paper aims to provide a holistic and comprehensive view of the contribution of blockchain technology to the brand management process, integrating all relevant subthemes that previous studies considered separately.

The study adopts a managerial perspective, often neglected in previous research, which is particularly important when addressing marketing issues involving technology (such as blockchain) that are unfamiliar to consumers. By offering a comprehensive view of blockchain technology’s impact on the brand management process, this paper aims to move beyond overly narrow perspectives that might overlook the overall benefits of this technology for companies and consumers.

Given the emergent nature of the topic, the study uses a qualitative approach based on constructivist grounded theory (CGT) (Charmaz, 2001) that adopts the grounded theory methodology under the constructivist research paradigm (Mills et al., 2006) and follows an interpretive approach to rich data collection and comprehension (Charmaz, 2006). The CGT approaches data analysis and the process of progressive theoretical construction by drawing meanings from reiterative processes conducted by the researcher, involving continuous questioning to elucidate the meanings of data as such facilitating theoretical interpretations.

Theoretical sampling was used to select the study participants, as prescribed by the CGT. A key informant approach was adopted for the panel selection (Robson and Foster, 1989), as informants were recognized as having a privileged point of view about the topic under analysis, managing blockchain projects involving quality food products and brands to establish links among lived experiences and foster connections between such experiences and the interplay between blockchain and brand management. The data collection followed a value-chain approach: the sample managers included manufacturing, supply, retailers and consultants. As the food industry was chosen as a specific context, product consortia involved in the design of blockchain projects were also included in the sample.

The choice of sector is due to the agrifood industry’s approach to blockchain adoption. In fact, this sector is among the most cutting-edge sectors in terms of the use of blockchain and has experienced considerable transformation throughout the supply chain due to the adoption of digital technologies. Relevant projects have been initiated by producers, farmers, supply chain actors and multilateral institutions to trace products, and agri-food is one of the few sectors in which blockchain adoption involves all actors in the value chain. Relevant cases from which to select the interviewees were found through discussions with experts on quality food products and by searching online for blockchain projects related to such products.

The search was restricted to a single market to improve the data comparability, and Italy was chosen as the focus area because it is the country with the highest number of quality food products certified by means of the European Quality Scheme, according to the European Commission’s eAmbrosia database, and where blockchain would become increasingly relevant within the food sector (Bonetti et al., 2023). All the interviewees held top positions in their organizations, enabling them to provide meaningful insights into the topic under investigation, even though they may not currently hold strict marketing roles ( Appendix 1 shows the final list of informants involved in the study). The respondents had extensive experience with blockchain-based projects, having spearheaded groundbreaking blockchain projects within their organizations and overseeing their initiation and full development. Consultants, in turn, played a crucial role in supporting clients during the implementation of technological infrastructure and subsequently throughout the brand management process.

Managers were contacted online and recruited through a snowballing process (Goodman, 1961) and new cases were added until no new insights could be reached (Faulkner and Trotter, 2017; Strauss and Corbin, 1997). The in-depth interviews were conducted via Zoom by two senior researchers. The interviews lasted an average of one and a half hours each and were recorded and transcribed verbatim in the interviewee’s native language. Interviews were conducted using guiding questions to identify blockchain’s contribution to all the aspects of the brand management process that respondents perceived they had received from the adoption of this technology (for the interview guide, see  Appendix 2).

The interviews involved a systematic coding procedure that was carried out using MAXQDA based on previous scholars’ suggestions to use QDA software to facilitate the encoding process (Vila-Henninger et al., 2022). A software-assisted method was also chosen for enhancing the trustworthiness of the qualitative data analysis (Sinkovics et al., 2009). Consistent with constructivist grounded theory, the data underwent three coding phases (Figure 1).

The initial coding followed an in vivo approach to reconstruct the respondents’ thinking (Saldaña, 2013). In the next focused coding phase, the most recurrent and significant codes were identified and included in relevant categories; subsequently, links between codes and categories were created to construct patterns and let explanatory themes about the phenomenon under investigation emerge though theoretical coding (Thornberg and Charmaz, 2014). The interviewees’ lived experiences were revisited through field notes and memos to maintain the participants’ voice and intended meaning in the theoretical results (Mills et al., 2006; Charmaz, 2006). In coherence with the constructivist approach, the style used to present the findings is “evocative of the experiences of the participants” (Charmaz, 2001).

Through the constructivist interpretative approach to data, three theoretical codes related to the contribution of blockchain to the brand management process emerged. These three levels describe how blockchain technology intervenes in:

1. accelerating brand enabling, by providing new resources and digital assets;

2. strengthening brand building, by enriching brand identity and reinforcing brand positioning; and

3. nurturing the brand–consumer relationship, by bringing the consumer closer and tightening the bond.

These themes could be synthetized in the Blockchain Branding Model (Figure 2).

The first level of the Blockchain Branding Model relates to the development of the technological/organizational infrastructure and describes how blockchain interacts with the physical product, where the outcome is an immutable and accessible “digital twin,” serving as an asset for the firm to build an even stronger brand. From the respondents’ perspective, this theoretical code is the result of the following three focused codes: “Technological Infrastructure Implementation,” “Product Digital Twin Creation” and “Consumer Interfaces Activation.” These are linked to nine initial codes (Figure 3).

The codes highlight that blockchain represents the enabling infrastructure for “collecting” and storing product and brand data in a single and immutable ledger, where the data are validated under “decentralized control” and are transparently shared among network members:

Implementing a blockchain infrastructure requires access to specialized expertise, which is often scarce within firms. Identifying technological partners capable of assisting them in building the optimal configuration is crucial for businesses. For the blockchain infrastructure to achieve its full potential, adoption by all stakeholders within the supply chain is essential. This requires overcoming channel conflicts and embracing a partnership logic:

The technical blockchain infrastructure gives the product a digital “immutable identity.” In fact, it creates a digital twin of the physical product by translating the entire set of product information into a code block of the distributed ledger, thus making the product’s identity unchangeable. Product identity, through blockchain, is not only immutable but also open. This means that through digital applications and device interfaces, digital gateways facilitate data storage in blockchain architecture. Blockchain also enables the enhancement of the digital twin of the product by incorporating data beyond what is available for the physical product (e.g. images or videos):

Through blockchain, the digital twin of a product can be “accessed in real time” by consumers through a touchpoint. In this context, the interviewees clearly refer to “QR codes,” “apps” and smartphones, expanding access options to product and brand information

The second level of Blockchain Branding Model (i.e. “strengthening brand building by enriching brand identity and reinforcing brand positioning”) concerns the blockchain’s contribution to brand building, with its impact points pertaining to both brand identity and positioning.

This theoretical code emerges from the following five focused codes: “broadening brand values,” “brand character expression,” “brand heritage enhancement,” “product attribute featuring” and “process featuring.” These focused codes are tied to 18 initial codes (Figure 4).

Through blockchain, brands can reinforce brand values as well as add new ones. Blockchain enables the brand to assert the value of consumer well-being and product safety, supported by the control of the entire supply chain and product manufacturing processes. It also strengthens the brand’s commitment to promoting product biodiversity and communicates the principles of transparency and legality by digitally verifying the authenticity of shared information. This capability stems from the fact that declarations within the blockchain are permanently recorded in a tamper-resistant and transparent ledger that is always accessible to the consumer:

From the interviewees’ perspective, transparency becomes a brand value enabled by blockchain technology and not only a characteristic of brand–consumer relationships. As shown below, this is even truer considering the other dimensions of brand identity and positioning empowered by this technology (e.g. brand character expression, brand heritage enhancement) related to the firm’s intention to “bring the consumer into the company” (IA10). This could strengthen the connection between the brand and the consumer and consequently enhance the generation of trust.

Utilizing blockchain allows for the validation of authentic value while providing extra assurance to consumers regarding the product’s originality and deterring counterfeit goods:

Blockchain “unveils” the human element in a product by disclosing the producers and the other actors of the supply chain, such as the farmers and distributors, showing their faces, stories and values and acknowledging their relationships and care for the production processes and the traditions that underpin the product:

Blockchain is perceived as a gateway to aspects related to the history of the company and the brand, the territory to which it belongs, and the origin of the product. It also embodies the concept of the country of origin, characterized by unique traditions that become a certified and immutable asset of intangible value:

The blockchain also strengthens the distinctive attributes of a product in a unique way, providing the consumer with the opportunity to access additional information regarding the geographical origin, composition and features of each product (e.g. the materials used and the specific facility and time of production), and the quality certification labels and standards:

Blockchain can also be used to enable consumers to trace the product’s transformation process by looking at its various stages, detailing the path that occurred from the moment the product was created up to the point when the product reached the shelf:

The third level of Blockchain Branding Model (i.e. “nurturing the brand–consumer relationship by bringing the consumer closer and tightening the bond”) represents the impact of blockchain on building stronger and closer relationships with the consumer.

This theoretical code emerges from five focused codes: “improving the omnichannel experience,” “greater affinity between the brand and the consumer,” “consumer empowerment activation,” “consumer engagement triggering” and “trust generation.” These focus codes are tied to 16 initial codes (Figure 5).

Blockchain creates a new and extremely effective touchpoint to establish a channel of automatized relationship between consumers and brands. This relationship is enabled by blockchain consumer interfaces, such as QR codes and apps:

Blockchain allows the brand to establish a deep, lasting and personalized dialogue with consumers. This is strictly related to the themes of brand identity and positioning mentioned above, namely, brand character expression, brand heritage enhancement, product attributes and process featuring that could reduce the distance between brands and consumers.

By sharing information through QR codes and apps, the brand empowers consumers and enables them to satisfy their desire for personal enrichment. Blockchain also provides access to additional product information that allows them to make an informed choice and fulfills their need for in-depth knowledge and assurance:

In addition, the achievement of personal well-being and health protection goals is tied to the ability to have full control over the nutritional values of the product being conveyed through blockchain:

Through blockchain, brands can share tailored information with consumers, enhance their knowledge and awareness of the distinctive features of quality products, and engage them in app-based digital games and challenges. Such a direct connection with the consumer fosters the creation of brand communities where consumers can be involved in creative activities as coproducers of product innovation. In this way, blockchain brings the consumer closer to the brand and sets the conditions for establishing brand attachment:

The blockchain assists the brand in establishing a trust-based relationship with consumers and actors in the supply chain. It is a technological infrastructure capable of initiating a system of mutual relationships founded on accountability, certified quality and the ability to influence consumer choices by leveraging accountability and transparency:

As discussed below, trust generation is related to aspects intrinsic to technology and, at the same time, to themes more closely associated with brand building, such as broadening brand values (i.e. the choice of transparency as an identity value) and the company’s willingness to tell brand characters and heritage, leading to a closer relationship between the brand and the consumer.

The Blockchain Branding Model built with the theoretical and focused codes (Figure 2) could be further deepened by highlighting the relationships among the focused codes as they emerged from the interviews, thus completing the holistic reading of blockchain’s impact on brand management process (Figure 6).

Implementing blockchain technological infrastructure is the basis for developing digital twin products and activating consumer interfaces. This sets the stage for building identity, brand positioning and brand-consumer relationships. Owing to the broadening of brand values and the features of product attributes and processes, companies can increase consumer empowerment by intercepting consumers looking for more in-depth information as well as personal enrichment and self-gratification. The other themes of brand identity and brand positioning underpin the progressive closeness between a company and a consumer since the company, using blockchain technology, shows who is behind the brand (brand character expression, i.e. the people who make the product), where the brand comes from (brand heritage enhancement, i.e. the history of the product, the producer and the territory), what the product is (product attribute featuring, i.e. the components of the product, its quality, and certifications) and how the product is made (process featuring, i.e. the production process and supply chain).

Increased affinity between the brand and the consumer, combined with consumer empowerment, forms the foundation of consumer engagement, which companies can foster through gamification, education, cocreation initiatives, and brand communities.

Activating consumer interfaces (e.g. apps, QR codes) provides an additional communication touchpoint and leverages automation to deliver increasingly personalized stimuli, enriching the consumer’s omnichannel experience.

Trust generation becomes highly relevant when the impact of blockchain on the brand–consumer relationship is analyzed. It is related to the technical features of the blockchain, such as transparency, decentralized control and the immutability of identity, and is also connected to the themes belonging to the second level, namely, “strengthening brand identity and reinforcing brand positioning.” Indeed, trust generation is strictly related to enriched brand identity – with the broadening of brand values toward greater transparency and a focus on consumer well-being and safety – and to reinforced brand positioning on the basis of identity choices that bring the consumer closer to the brand.

This paper is positioned within the growing strand of research on the impact of digital technologies on branding and, within it, in the field of studies that focus on the effect of adopting blockchain on brand management.

The originality of the study is twofold. First, this work goes beyond purely theoretical perspectives that characterize previous works about blockchain and branding, considering the perspective of experts in blockchain projects. Although the study was conducted in the specific context of the agrifood industry, it offers original insights that could be extended to other sectors where blockchain technology has been assumed to be highly relevant.

Second, the study overcomes the fragmentation of the previous contributions, reconstructing managers’ points of view and bringing them to unity. In this way, it offers a holistic perspective on blockchain contribution to the brand management process, capturing its impact points and outcomes, and building a model that allows an understanding of how, through blockchain technology, brand management activities can be enhanced and strengthened. Three levels of brand management in which blockchain contribution is relevant emerged by the analysis (i.e. theoretical codes) and were systematized in the Blockchain Branding Model. This technology could: (i) accelerate brand enabling, by providing new resources and digital assets, (ii) strengthen brand building, by enriching brand identity and reinforcing brand positioning and (iii) nurture brand-consumer relationship, by bringing the consumer closer and tightening the bond. The study further explores the connections between the focused codes in the three levels of Blockchain Branding Model, providing a comprehensive reading of the influence of blockchain on brand management process.

Considering all three levels of the brand management process in the Blockchain Branding Model, the present study provides original theoretical insights. First, by highlighting blockchain’s contribution to brand enabling, brand building and brand-consumer relationship, the proposed model reveals how blockchain is not only a tool for enhancing the effectiveness of brand marketing communication (Peres et al., 2023) or strengthen consumer trust, as highlighted by most works on this topic (e.g. Ferreira da Silva and Moro, 2021; Le, 2024), but can be used throughout the brand management process to create value in several ways for both the consumer and the firm.

With regard to the first level, namely, “accelerating brand enabling, by providing new resources and digital assets,” following previous studies that focused on digital assets that enable connection with the consumer (Redler and Corvino, 2023; Boukis, 2020; Xie et al., 2024), the Blockchain Branding Model further highlights how this connection with the brand can be effectively activated by brand managers by tokenizing products, turning them into an immutable piece of block of the digital ledger.

While previous contributions – mainly focused on social media (Rokka and Canniford, 2016; Rossolatos, 2019) – highlighted that brand characteristics can be altered and diluted by consumers through digital technologies, this study shows that blockchain has the opposite effect and can be used to prove that a brand is an immutable asset with an inalterable identity. In other words, blockchain nurtures the truth and could increase the alignment between what marketers want to convey and the meanings consumers attach to brands (Batra, 2019).

Regarding the second level of the Blockchain Branding Model, namely, “strengthening brand building, by enriching brand identity and reinforcing brand positioning,” further relevant theoretical aspects involving tangible and intangible aspects of the brand emerge. Through the digital twin, blockchain allows for the reinforcement of functional product features, making the consumer aware of the product’s intrinsic aspects. The blockchain goes beyond product appearance; in fact, the technology allows brands to append additional information concerning production processes and territories of origin, enabling the consumer to reconstruct each product’s manufacturing history autonomously through digital interfaces (i.e. QR codes or apps). In this way, blockchain helps consumers understand and assess the source of products’ quality and provenance (Montecchi et al., 2019), potentially acting to solve ambiguities regarding their value and performance (Selnes, 1993).

These findings also address several issues raised in the emerging literature on blockchain-based products (e.g. NFTs), such as those highlighting the marketing differences between blockchain-based products and physical goods (Hofstetter et al., 2022; Hofstetter et al., 2024) or exploring the contribution that NFTs can make to branding within specific product categories (Xie et al., 2023).

This study highlights how blockchain also strengthens the intangible aspects of brands, which, alongside tangible ones, are at the basis of the trust construction that emerged in the third level. The findings reveal that blockchain intervenes in symbolic areas pertaining to values, heritage, and brand character, which are considered key aspects in constructing brand identity and reinforcing consumer ties in the current market environment; in addition, blockchain reinforces values that are recognized as drivers of brands’ present behavior (Keller, 2023). In fact, findings show that “blockchain brands” can reinforce their role as responsible actors by openly sharing their concerns for societal well-being and respect for the environment (Torelli et al., 2012).

The findings also show that, through blockchain, brand managers can convey brand character by showing its truly human features. In fact, blockchain adds reality and concreteness to the brand personality (Aaker, 1997) by making it visible, accountable, and linked to the faces of product makers such as the entrepreneur, the suppliers, and the workers. This finding reinforces previous works’ findings and provides new insights about the positive impact that blockchain has on brand positioning through storytelling (Boukis, 2020). Indeed, the process of showing the persons could lead to the development of a brand anthropomorphization strategy that has been deepened for other enabling technologies (e.g. artificial intelligence) (Vernuccio et al., 2023).

The work also adds aspects related to the content that defines positioning and relates to the human dimension of the brand (Aggarwal and McGill, 2012), its heritage and values, showing how blockchain fosters a logical organization of a coordinated narrative of aspects regarding the brand’s present and past and ties them together (Keller, 2021, 2023). This finding confirms the role of blockchain in defining brand positioning, as already highlighted in the literature (Boukis, 2020), and in explaining how technology supports the brand in constructing a consistent brand narrative in its intrinsic and extrinsic elements.

With respect to the third level of the model, namely, “nurturing brand–consumer relationship by bringing the consumer closer and tightening the bond,” this study adds further important considerations to the topic of brands and technology in the brand–consumer relationship. Findings confirm that blockchain, like other digital technologies such as phygital (Banik and Gao, 2023), augmented reality (Javornik et al., 2021) and artificial intelligence (Cheng and Jiang, 2022), can lay the groundwork for constructing brand attachment through consumer activation (Boukis, 2020, 2022), consumer empowerment and community building (Ante et al., 2024; Colicev, 2022).

The findings confirm previous theories that assumed that blockchain is a technology capable of enhancing a brand’s capacity to establish meaningful relationships with the consumer (Boukis, 2020) and to create consumer engagement through gamification activities (Colicev, 2022; Peres et al., 2023). The work also shows that by using blockchain, the company can open a new “touchpoint” to interact with the consumer and nurture the relationship through active participation. These results are consistent with those of Hakkarainen and Colicev (2023), who argued in their conceptual study that blockchain can engage consumers in product cocreation activities that enhance brands’ product innovation capabilities, and with Ramaswamy and Ozcan (2016), who stated that blockchain acts in markets as an interactive platform that activates a process of brand value cocreation. Concerning the trust generation, the findings highlight that it is not solely linked to the technical features of blockchain, as emphasized in previous studies, but also to the technology’s contribution to enhancing brand identity – by extending brand values toward transparency and well-being – and strengthening brand positioning, which bring consumers closer to the brand.

In conclusion, considering the three levels of the Blockchain Branding Model, the work adds new elements to previous studies (e.g. about the possible ways in which technology relates to the brand) and contrasts with those supported by other authors (e.g. regarding the negative effects of digital platforms on brand identity). The research also validates and reinforces previous findings (e.g. concerning how blockchain reinforces the intangible aspects of the brand) and integrates existing models (e.g. showing how blockchain can add reality and concreteness to the construct of “brand personality”). These aspects complement the main contribution on constructing a theoretical model that provides a holistic and comprehensive view of blockchain technology’s contribution to brand management process.

This study has significant managerial implications. Indeed, the findings prove that blockchain has emerged as a valuable tool for helping brand managers navigate an intricate and demanding competitive environment. The Blockchain Branding Model can be a useful tool both when considered as a whole and when focusing on one or more of its levels.

The model as a whole could support brand managers with a strategic viewpoint, providing an overview of the steps in the process of integrating blockchain within branding strategies and the effects that brand managers can create.

Looking at the individual levels of the model, the first of these, “accelerating brand enabling,” draws managers’ attention to the organizational implications and blockchain’s need for technical partners. Indeed, marketers’ use of blockchain requires acquiring knowledge of its application, making it essential to integrate technological expertise with managerial practice.

From the experience of the interviewed informants, the work suggests how relevant it is for managers to work on blockchain projects through an open and ecosystem approach involving partnerships and market alliances with technology companies that can support the implementation of blockchain projects from a technical point of view. This aspect represents a key element that enables brand managers to fully exploit blockchain’s potential to be deployed to create sustainable brand value. From this perspective, the work emphasizes the need to include all supply chain actors in blockchain projects to fully implement transparent information, to better convey processes and product characteristics and to relate them to the desired positioning objectives. The lack of proper integration, for example, of suppliers or producers of raw materials, could reduce the effectiveness of the benefits of blockchain for brand building and management.

By focusing on the second level (i.e. “strengthening brand building”), managers can have a more concrete and operational perspective of brand management. This part of the model represents a valuable tool for brand managers to have a unified and complete view of the individual pieces on which to intervene to compose the mosaic, which is the brand system comprising people who are behind the brand (i.e. “brand character expression”), the history of the brand and the territory from which it comes (i.e. “brand heritage enhancement”), the product characteristics that can differentiate the product from its competitors (i.e. “product attribute featuring”), and how the product is made (i.e. “process featuring”). Brand managers must consider the potential of blockchain technology in strengthening brand building; indeed, this technology can enhance both tangible and intangible elements, effectively integrating the present and the past.

Analyzing the third level of the model, namely, “nurturing the brand–consumer relationship”, managers can understand how blockchain offers an analytical range of options they can draw on to (a) activate relationships with consumers, opening a new channel of communication, encouraging a dialogue, and automatizing the relationship management; (b) increase consumers’ empowerment, enhancing their knowledge and contributing to their self-reward; (c) engage customers, by activating tools such as those related to gamification, value cocreation and community building; and (d) generate and strengthen trust, enhancing aspects related to transparency, reliability and quality of both the product and production process.

This study has several limitations that are needed for possible future lines of theoretical development and can guide researchers in investigating aspects that have emerged from the work. Regarding its limitations, this research focuses exclusively on Italy. Future studies could enhance the proposed framework by including other countries as observation points or by conducting cross-country analyses. This could also deepen the understanding of the influence of culture on the country level of adoption of the technology and on manager viewpoints with respect to blockchain and its relationship with the brand, contributing to enriching the complexity of the model.

The work focuses on the food industry, and this might suggest the relevance of widening the investigation by including other sectors. For this reason, it would be relevant to replicate studies in other industries that extensively use blockchain technology, such as automotive or fashion, which are also referred to in previous theoretical contributions (Colicev, 2022; Peres et al., 2023). In fact, particular features in these industries may offer additional insights into the interaction between blockchain and brands.

The study focuses solely on the managers’ perspective, while the validation of the relevance of the technology’s effectiveness in supporting branding activities could be achieved by investigating consumers’ points of view considering the three levels of the Blockchain Branding Model (Table 2).

Further analyses could focus on deepening the impact of blockchain on brand awareness, image, and consumers’ judgments about brands. Future work could also study the emotional response of consumers to brand stimuli activated by blockchain, the types of relationships that brands establish with consumers via blockchain and the role of consumers’ personal characteristics.

The authors would like to thank all the managers who took part in the interviews and shared their valuable experience.

Competing interest statement: No competing interests to declare.

Table A1 

This study investigates the impact blockchain has on brand management. Many companies, including your company/organization, have already ventured into blockchain projects. Given the adoption of this technology, we ask a few questions. While responding, please consider the firm/organization you belong to and other successful experiments you know of:

• What are the most relevant activities a brand should preliminarily undertake to exploit blockchain’s benefits for branding?

• What are the main difficulties faced in implementing a blockchain project?

• What impacts do you think blockchain can have on brand management?

• What impacts do you think blockchain can have on consumer perceptions and behaviors?

• What are the most significant effects of blockchain adoption on the relationship with consumers?