Brand culture: strategy or chance?

This study deals with brand culture as a component for the formation of brand identity. Its goal is to analyze the construction of brand CONDOR, a large supermarket network in Parana, in the cultural perspective. First, it has developed a brief theoretical framework on brand, and brand positioning, identity and culture. Then it has applied an exploratory research, based on secondary data available in the media, including their promotional materials. In the analysis phase, data were studied from the sources of Kapferer Brand Identity (2003): the company's products, the power of name, brand characters, visual symbols and logos, geographical and historical roots, creators of the brand and advertising . The results showed that some sources were chosen and created at random, for example, 'power of the name' and 'visual symbols and logos. In other, there is some strategic planning as the 'advertising' and 'character'. Another noticed factor was that some sources end up confused, like 'geographical and historical roots' with' creators of the brand. "In the source 'typical products' it was found an adequate service provide to Parana's people. Finally, it can be said that sometimes instinctively, other strategically, the brand CONDOR was built and it is today recognized as a major regional brand. This fact comes to meet the claim Kapferer (2003), that says that a brand, managed or not, planned or not, desired or supported, acquires an image through the accumulation of their communications, history, culture and personality. Therefore, the objective of this work, examining the brand CONDOR on cultural approach, was achieved. However, it is important to note that, as a continuation of this study, it will be realized a new descriptive study, aiming to develop and validate a scale to measure the brand culture.