Inherit or innovation? Research on the brand revitalisation of China time-honoured brands

AbstractThe sustainable development of time-honoured brands is faced with the dilemma of inheritance or innovation. By selecting Wufangzhai company in China and conducting case study, it is found that the enterprise not only inherits the quality, ingenuity and culture of the time-honoured brand but also innovates in R&D, marketing, organisational structure and business strategy. The process of inheritance and innovation is a blend of ‘DAO’ and ‘SHU’. ‘DAO’ refers to the brand’s concept rules and deep cores; ‘SHU’ refers to the brand’s methods and forms of display. Analysis from the perspective of different levels that make up the brand, what is inherited are elements and powers of the core level of the brand, which help to maintain the internal authenticity, consistency and continuity of the time-honoured brand; what is innovated are the external levels of the brand, which helps to promote the external elements in fashion, novelty and flexibility. The ambidexterity equilibrium of brand revitalization in the ‘DAO’ of inheritance and the ‘SHU’ of innovation reflects the dialectical logic of change and changeless: centring on improving the value of brand equity, adhering to the core of the brand, and breaking through the external form.KEYWORDS: Chinese time-honoured brandbrand revitalisationbrand inheritancetime-honoured brand innovationtime-honoured brand revitalisation Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Availability of data and materialsData availability is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analysed in this study.Ethical approvalWritten informed consent for publication of this paper was obtained from the Zhejiang Gongshang University Hangzhou College of commerce and all authors.Additional informationFundingThe article was supported by the Ministry of Education of Humanities and Social Science Project (20YJC630058; 21YJCZH126); Zhejiang Province Education Science Planning 2023 Annual Project (2023SCG265).Notes on contributorsZeren ZhaoZeren Zhao, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou College of Commerce, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.Yongsheng XiangYongsheng Xiang, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou College of Commerce, Hangzhou, People's Republic of China.