Conceptualizing Digital Brand Equity Through Thematic Synthesis: An Integrated Framework

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Rachata Rungtrakulchai

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Traditional brand equity models, established in an era of one-way communication, are insufficient for measuring brand performance in the digital age where consumers actively co-create brand meaning. This study addresses the conceptual and measurement gap by aiming to develop a robust, multi-dimensional framework for Digital Brand Equity (DBE) that reflects the paradigm shift to a two-way, interactive communication environment. This conceptual study employs a systematic literature review of 47 key academic papers published between 1990 and 2025. A thematic synthesis was conducted to analyze and integrate existing knowledge, identifying core theoretical constructs and evolutionary patterns in brand equity research. The results show a new, synthesized definition of DBE and proposes seven research propositions that correspond to the core dimensions of digital brand equity, including brand salience, perceived quality, associations, customer-brand engagement, online community, authenticity, and value co-creation. This research contributes a holistic and contemporary DBE framework theoretically grounded in the realities of a decentralized digital landscape, providing a crucial foundation for future empirical validation and offering practitioners a more accurate model for assessing and managing brand value in an era of consumer empowerment.

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