Managing the Authenticity of Narrative Brands: Understanding Consumers, Fans and Audiences

This book investigates the concept of brand authenticity within narrative media, focusing on how audience expectations and reactions shape perceptions of brand endings and plot developments.By examining case studies of popular series like Game of Thrones, Mass Effect and How I Met Your Mother, it argues that fan backlash often stems from a perceived loss of authenticity. Through a branding perspective, this book analyses how narrative brands, crafted to be both commercial products and creative stories, face challenges in meeting the complex needs of their audiences.A key feature of this book is its exploration of the symbiotic relationship between narrative brands and their audiences.It positions that audiences contribute significantly to brand co-creation by sharing opinions and feedback, while brands, in turn, rely on their fans for loyalty and commercial success.As streaming platforms and direct-to-consumer models rise, the need for brands to engage audiences authentically becomes m