Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore and analyze the logics at work when companies decide what corporate features to communicate; which eventually also accounts for their corporate brands identities.  

Design/methodology/approach: As a case in point, we focus on the concept “family business” and investigate the rationale among companies to make particular reference to being such a company on their websites – a decision we interpret as part of the corporate brand identity formation. Interviews are made with 14 CEOs in 12 small and medium-sized family enterprises in a Swedish context. We employ a discourse analysis to distinguish patterns of corporate feature selection. 

Findings: Our results highlight how decisions that define corporate brand identity are not necessarily a consequence of rigorous marketing planning, but are sometimes made without concern for marketing matters. We identify three logics for the selection and formation of corporate brand identity features; the habit, organic and intended logics. On account of these findings, we develop a three logics model of corporate brand identity formation; proposing differences between intuitive, emergent and strategic processes. In the intuitive process, managers construct brand identity based on tradition, instinctive beliefs and self perception. In the emergent process, the decision surfaces from active interplay between self-perception among managers and the company’s identity. In the strategic process, the decision is a product of an explicit brand strategy with focus on corporate communications.

Research limitations/implications: The sample size is small. No large firms are included. We focus on one corporate feature, namely, being family business. 

Originality/value: Research on corporate brand identity is still largely conceptual. Drawing on empirical findings, this paper contributes to available theory and to practical insight. 

Key words: Corporate brand management, corporate brand identity, marketing communications, family business.