Beyond boundaries: towards a conceptual and theoretical explanation of the transgressive nature of brands

Abstract

Abstract

Purpose Contemporary brands increasingly cross boundaries in novel and surprising ways and form complex social relations. However, existing research provides limited explanations for such transgressions. This article reconceptualizes brand transgressions from a broader perspective and develops a conceptual and theoretical explanation of the transgressive nature of brands. Design/methodology/approach The article conducts a meta-theoretical analysis of four approaches to branding, examining how the underlying models of communication shape different conceptualizations of brands and their potential for explaining transgressions. It further draws on Luhmann’s social systems theory to develop an alternative understanding of brands as inherently transgressive communicative entities. Findings Brand transgressions are reconceptualized as social processes of transcending boundaries. The analysis reveals that conceptualization of brands as cognitive, symbolic or socio-material entities rely on distinctions that are implicitly or explicitly grounded in different communication theories, leading to divergent interpretations of transgressions. Furthermore, it demonstrates that conceptualizing brands as communication systems helps to explain the integrative mechanisms that enable transgressions and stabilize social relations. Originality/value The article contributes to communication scholarship by demonstrating that transgressions are not anomalies or accidental deviations but an inherent feature of the communicative structures of brands. It offers a theoretical perspective that reframes contemporary brand phenomena as transgressive processes and clarifies the role of brands in shaping and facilitating complex social relations.