Leyland Pitt, Simon Fraser University

Jan Kietzmann, University of Victoria

Joey Lam, Trinity Western University

This special issue addresses the phenomenon of enshittification—the progressive deterioration of products, services, platforms, and brand experiences that initially attracted consumers through convenience and trust, but later reduced quality, added surveillance, intensified monetization, or fragmented offerings. While related issues like service decline and planned obsolescence have been studied separately, this call seeks to establish enshittification as an integrative framework within product and brand management research.

The issue emphasizes the consumer perspective, particularly how degradation affects those who have embedded these offerings in their identities and routines. Drawing on theories of extended self, the call recognizes that product deterioration may be experienced as emotional and personal violation, opening research opportunities around consumer attachment, trust, resistance, and long-term brand relationships. The issue invites conceptual, empirical, and methodological contributions across marketing, consumer research, information systems, strategy, and related fields to advance theory and inform practice.

Appel publié par Journal of Product & Brand Management. Voir l'appel sur le site de l'éditeur. Fiche de l'appel sur kerostig.

Potential topics

• Enshittification as product and brand management phenomenon
• Extended self and consumer responses to product degradation
• Enshittification through addition: surveillance and monetization
• Enshittification through subtraction: feature removal
• Enshittification through division: subscription-dependent ecosystems
• Enshittification through multiplication: product complexity
• Internet of Things and erosion of ownership
• Consumer resistance and coping strategies
• Brand trust and reputational consequences
• Regulatory and ethical dimensions
• Organizational antecedents and shareholder primacy
• Strategies for avoiding or reversing enshittification
• Cross-industry and cross-cultural comparisons
• Methodological approaches to quality deterioration

Timeline

• January 10, 2026: Opening date for manuscript submissions
• January 2, 2027: Closing date for manuscript submissions

Pramod Iyer, Kennesaw State University

Arezoo Davari, Eastern Washington University

Hyunju Shin, Kennesaw State University

Atanas Nik Nikolov, Kennesaw State University

B2B branding continues to grow in importance yet faces unique challenges distinct from consumer markets. While research has established branding's value for securing partnerships and retaining customers, most existing literature relies on B2C models ill-suited to the complexity of business-to-business environments. Contemporary issues including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and evolving buyer expectations around trust and credibility demand specialized attention.

This special issue seeks research addressing gaps in B2B branding scholarship. It welcomes conceptual and empirical studies exploring the distinctiveness of B2B markets, novel theoretical frameworks specific to business contexts, and practical guidance for managers. Topics include managing tensions between long-term brand building and short-term performance demands, stakeholder alignment, internal branding strategies, and measuring branding value—particularly as B2B marketers face budget constraints and pressure to demonstrate immediate returns.

Appel publié par Journal of Product & Brand Management. Voir l'appel sur le site de l'éditeur. Fiche de l'appel sur kerostig.

Potential topics

• Balancing long-term branding objectives with short-term performance expectations
• Dark side of B2B branding (brand betrayal, opportunism, relationship dissolution)
• Repositioning B2B brands in global and cultural tensions
• Aligning stakeholder expectations in B2B brand management
• Internal branding in B2B organizations
• Communicating brand value among B2B relationship partners
• Digital and AI transformation impact on B2B brand management
• New conceptualizations of value creation through B2B branding
• B2B-specific theories of branding beyond B2C frameworks
• Measuring financial and non-financial value of B2B branding investments
• Brand failures, reputational crises, and recovery strategies in B2B markets
• Ethical dilemmas and tensions in B2B branding

Timeline

• December 1, 2026: Opening date for manuscripts submissions
• March 13, 2027: Closing date for manuscripts submission

The special issue draws upon three strands of literature. The first explores the evolving interaction between human intelligence and artificial intelligence. A balanced augmentation approach combining human and artificial intelligence is recommended rather than an automative approach. This calls for co-intelligence, using AI as a co-worker. Recent research has explored the creative collaboration between humans and AI to co-create brand voice, identifying effective human-AI co-creation as happening at three levels: the individual brand professional, the organisational level of brand management and the societal level, the external environment in which the brand operates. Frameworks have been developed for human marketers and consumers collaborating with AI within the retail sector.

Appel publié par European Journal of Marketing. Lire l'appel complet sur le site de l'éditeur. Fiche de l'appel sur kerostig.

Potential topics

• How can augmented brand intelligence be effectively implemented in strategic and operational brand management and brand control?
• Does augmented brand intelligence lead to an increase or decrease in brand purpose, brand consistency, and creativity?
• What are the possibilities and limitations of augmented brand intelligence in brand science?
• What is the role of AI and humans in consumer-brand interactions?
• What is the role of human emotions in the development of consumer-brand relationships in the age of AI?
• What is the role of human creativity in brand innovation in the age of AI, especially with social innovations aimed at positively impacting society and the planet?
• What humanistic values should brands embrace in order to build a profitable but also responsible business capable of addressing some of the pressing problems that humanity is facing, such as climate change or social inequalities?
• What are the potential ethical dilemmas that the use of AI in branding might raise and how managers should address them?
• How is the role and skill set of brand managers changing in the AI age?
• What are best practice examples of AI currently being used by marketers to drive brands and customer relationships?

Timeline

• August 7, 2026: Opening date for manuscripts submissions
• August 9, 2026: Closing date for manuscripts submission