Purpose – This paper aims to capture and systematise practices which have been proven good skills, tactics, methods, and techniques at effectively and efficiently delivering particular outcomes behind the integration of brands in various mergers and acquisitions (M&As). These practices can be shared and learned to improve the success of brand integration in future M&As.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts the case-study method by interviewing companies which have been involved in M&As.
Findings – Twenty practices are identified and defined from ten M&A events within six case companies (those are multinational corporations – MNCs).
Practical implications – The paper provides managers insights into good (or winning) practices that MNCs from various industries have adopted in integrating brands in their M&As by addressing a number of specific issues and corresponding solutions.
Originality/value – The twenty practices for the integration of brands in M&As are classified into eight major clusters according to the dimensions of brand and brand management these practices are related to – brand strategic positioning, brand people, brand knowledge transfer, brand integration planning, brand integration implementation, brand disposal expertise, brand disposal negotiation, and brand due diligence. These clusters allow M&A and integration managers to accumulate their own brand integration practices from time to time systematically. These also help facilitate the adoption of learning approach by firms to their later M&As.
