Searching for humility: A new communicative approach toward consumers for brands

Today’s consumers, connected and informed but also increasingly concerned about economic, social, and environmental issues, are developing new expectations of brands. While they still demand product performance, they also seek the demonstration of social responsibility and an ethical position. In this context, arrogant speeches or haughty attitudes on the part of brands or retailers are hardly tenable. Marketing professionals and experts are calling for more humility. But what does this term really mean? The present study, which is exploratory in nature, seeks to define the conceptual contours, issues, and benefits of the emerging notion of humility as applied to brands through a qualitative content analysis of the blogs of marketing professionals. The results are discussed and shed light on managerial implications for brand communication.