Extending authenticity: Going corporate in a craft market

Abstract

Abstract Authenticity is a critical feature of a brand’s quality, integrity, and reputation. Scholars maintain that craft companies face a legitimacy crisis after an acquisition because customers question the brand’s authenticity. Significantly less is known about fan loyalty after a buyout. This article tracks the strategies and conditions that enable the extension of authenticity in the move from a craft to a corporate identity. Qualitative case study analysis indicates that consumers are pursuing new contexts to signal superiority and accrue cultural capital. Producer-consumer relations, what I call artisan kinship and craft celebrity, allow for the affirmation of uniqueness and attainment of status. Evolving trends in the procurement and display of cachet have created opportunities for entrepreneurs to avoid criticism of inauthentic behavior.