The role of brands and branding in contemporary society

The thesis explores the transgressive nature of brands in contemporary society and how they have become social entities that serve for communicating in spheres that have traditionally been outside the scope of branding. It specifically examines brand activism as a contemporary societal phenomenon that connects business and politics as two distinct spheres of society. The thesis addresses the problem of connectivity in society and seeks to theoretically understand how connecting through brands is possible and what consequences emerge from this new function of brands. The research project is guided by Niklas Luhmann’s social systems theory and consists of four independent articles that examine different aspects of the evolving role of brands.