In recent years, many online brands have surfaced along with most traditional or brick and mortar brands introducing corresponding e-brands, pointing to a bright future for this promising field.  Dr. Subir Bandyopadhyay, Indiana University Northwest (USA), editor of the recently released book Contemporary Research in E-Branding , discusses several theories on why this emergence is occurring.

“The future of e-branding looks extremely bright for several reasons,” says Bandyopadhyay.  “First, the number of potential online customers seems almost boundless.  Second, it provides a unique opportunity for a company to reach international markets in a cost-effective way.”

“For existing brands, the Internet provides a central organizing platform for integrating marketing communication functions of a firm.  It allows an existing brand to leverage on its strengths to reach new customers across the world.”
      
Driven by his fascination with the promise of e-branding to build new brands and strengthen existing ones, Dr. Bandyopadhyay is currently working on research projects to apply e-branding concepts to brand regions and cities.

“Many regions and cities try to create an identity or a brand image (e.g., tourism, gambling for Las Vegas, and investment in high-tech industry for the Silicon Valley).  Other places may want to change a somewhat negative image (e.g., high pollution rate and lack of economic opportunity for the ‘rust-belt’ regions in the Midwest).  I am developing an e-branding strategy template for branding places.”

In addition, Dr. Bandyopadhyay is working on a project to develop e-branding strategies for public non-profit institutes such as universities.  For more information on his extensive research into e-branding, visit his publication’s Web site at: http://igi-global.com/reference/details.asp?id=8253.