A marketing perspective on reshoring: online corporate brand image and communication of reshored Italian companies

Abstract

Building on a critical analysis of branding and reshoring literature, the present study theoretically and empirically contributes to extant knowledge, considering reshoring from a marketing perspective. The textual and semiotic analysis of the official corporate websites of 33 Italian companies – that reshored part of their activities to Europe – revealed that Italian companies still do not leverage on reshoring to form e refine the online corporate brand image. The present study has also a practical relevance for managers operating within the marketing business units, suggesting the relevance to communicate reshoring drivers – especially “Made in” effect and CSR policies that are the most relevant motivations of reshoring for Italian companies – to their audiences, leverage on reshoring to build brand image and to gain competitive advantage.