Telling a story and staying competitive
Corporate heritage marketing as a business and market narrative tool
Maintaining a company’s position in an increasingly competitive market while preserving its manufacturing culture and history is no easy feat. This is a challenge that many manufacturing organisations have to grapple with, particularly in sectors where quality and competitiveness are closely linked. This is certainly true of the luxury fashion industry. This is the topic that Margherita Masci explored in her thesis, entitled ‘Come il corporate heritage marketing può contribuire alla valorizzazione del patrimonio storico-culturale delle imprese del lusso nel settore della moda’ (How corporate heritage marketing can contribute to the enhancement of the historical and cultural heritage of luxury fashion companies), which was recently discussed at the University of Padua.
Masci begins by considering that the luxury fashion sector is one of the most dynamic and symbolic sectors of the global economy. It is capable of influencing consumption, cultural imagery, lifestyles and identity values. However, in a context characterised by increasing competitiveness, digitalisation and the rapid obsolescence of trends, ‘luxury brands must balance innovation and tradition, as well as authenticity and contemporary trends’.
In this scenario, the concept of corporate heritage marketing takes on particular importance, understood as the set of strategies and practices through which companies promote and communicate their history, origins, and founding values, transforming them into communication tools. Margherita Masci’s research focuses on this tool for an important reason: corporate heritage marketing is particularly powerful in the luxury fashion industry because it guarantees authenticity, legitimacy and continuity. This strengthens the brand’s image and sets it apart in a crowded, increasingly globalised market.
The research aims to investigate the role of corporate heritage marketing in companies, with a particular focus on those in the luxury fashion industry, analysing the theoretical principles and methods of application of this marketing strategy. In addition to a theoretical section, three emblematic cases of luxury fashion houses are examined in depth: Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci and Armani. Margherita Masci’s research demonstrates how the enhancement of heritage can serve as a powerful narrative and strategic tool.
Her work is also notable for its effective synthesis of theoretical and operational aspects of a complex theme.
Margherita Masci
Thesis, University of Padua, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy and Applied Psychology, Department of Economics and Business Sciences “Marco Fanno”, Bachelor of Science in Communication, 2025
Corporate heritage marketing as a business and market narrative tool
Maintaining a company’s position in an increasingly competitive market while preserving its manufacturing culture and history is no easy feat. This is a challenge that many manufacturing organisations have to grapple with, particularly in sectors where quality and competitiveness are closely linked. This is certainly true of the luxury fashion industry. This is the topic that Margherita Masci explored in her thesis, entitled ‘Come il corporate heritage marketing può contribuire alla valorizzazione del patrimonio storico-culturale delle imprese del lusso nel settore della moda’ (How corporate heritage marketing can contribute to the enhancement of the historical and cultural heritage of luxury fashion companies), which was recently discussed at the University of Padua.
Masci begins by considering that the luxury fashion sector is one of the most dynamic and symbolic sectors of the global economy. It is capable of influencing consumption, cultural imagery, lifestyles and identity values. However, in a context characterised by increasing competitiveness, digitalisation and the rapid obsolescence of trends, ‘luxury brands must balance innovation and tradition, as well as authenticity and contemporary trends’.
In this scenario, the concept of corporate heritage marketing takes on particular importance, understood as the set of strategies and practices through which companies promote and communicate their history, origins, and founding values, transforming them into communication tools. Margherita Masci’s research focuses on this tool for an important reason: corporate heritage marketing is particularly powerful in the luxury fashion industry because it guarantees authenticity, legitimacy and continuity. This strengthens the brand’s image and sets it apart in a crowded, increasingly globalised market.
The research aims to investigate the role of corporate heritage marketing in companies, with a particular focus on those in the luxury fashion industry, analysing the theoretical principles and methods of application of this marketing strategy. In addition to a theoretical section, three emblematic cases of luxury fashion houses are examined in depth: Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci and Armani. Margherita Masci’s research demonstrates how the enhancement of heritage can serve as a powerful narrative and strategic tool.
Her work is also notable for its effective synthesis of theoretical and operational aspects of a complex theme.
Margherita Masci
Thesis, University of Padua, Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Pedagogy and Applied Psychology, Department of Economics and Business Sciences “Marco Fanno”, Bachelor of Science in Communication, 2025