Marieke Schewe, Dr Michael Schade, Dr Ole Gardewin and Prof. Christoph Burmann (all from markstones Institute) as well as Prof. Sabrina Hegner (Bremen University of Applied Sciences / City University of Applied Sciences) have published a scientific article entitled "On the Run for Value: Exploring the Relevance of Consumer Goals for Consumer Relationships on Brand Flagship Platforms" in the renowned Journal of Brand Management (SJR: Q1).

In their study, the authors use a survey and case study analyses to examine how brand flagship platforms (e.g. Adidas Running) can be successfully designed by manufacturer brands. The results of the survey highlight the high relevance of the benefit of ‘social exchange’ for strengthening brand loyalty. If, on the other hand, the focus is on increasing sales as the central goal of the manufacturer brand, the benefits of ‘commercial exchange’ and ‘epistemic empowerment’ gain in importance.

The case studies also show that brand flagship platforms in the sports sector have so far only implemented features that specifically promote commercial exchange to a limited extent. The study provides practical ideas for the successful design of brand flagship platforms.