Prof. Dr.
Oliver Errichiello
Global Brand Wisdom from the World's Only Brand Sociology Chair
Professor Oliver Errichiello pioneered the field of Brand Sociology, establishing the world's first and only professorship dedicated to understanding brands through sociological and psychological analysis.
Oliver's research focuses on Europe's most enduring brands in different fields and branches from BtoC and BtoB that have maintained market leadership - sometimes for generations.
His unique insight: these brands succeed because they understand and leverage deep sociological principles that transcend traditional marketing approaches.
"The strongest brands aren't built on trends – they're built on timeless human truths that heritage brands have understood for centuries."
The Man Behind Brand Sociology
I’m known as “The Branding Professor” and “Consumer Philosopher”, regularly featured on European TV and radios stations. I studied socio-economics, brand sociology and psychology in Hamburg and Lyon, and started my career at the Institute for Brand Technology in Geneva.
In 2006, I founded the Büro für Markenentwicklung, an international brand consultancy in Hamburg, and today I also lead the innovation lab of Deutsche Seereederei - one of the biggest hospitality cooperation in Europe. Since 2018, I’ve held the world’s first professorship for Brand Sociology at Mittweida University and lecture in Hamburg, Lucerne and internationally.
WOOHW! Conference, Zurich
CCW Conference, Berlin
German major tv-news; Together with Prof. Dr. Patrick Deneen, Kitzsummit, Austria
Kitzsummit, Austria
Branduniversity, Xian, China
Advertising congress, Frankfurt; DMEXCO, Cologne
Regents University, London
For Executive Consulting
Strategic brand consulting for C-Suite leaders and family-owned heritage brands.
For Agency Partnerships
Specialized insights and frameworks for advertising and branding agencies.
For Academic Collaboration
Research partnerships and guest lecturing opportunities.
For Speaking Engagements
Keynotes and masterclasses for industry conferences and corporate events.
Since the early 1990s, my brand work has combined practical experience with a solid scientific foundation. Rather than reacting to every trend or hype, I focus on the long-term dynamics of trust — which remain constant despite changing technologies and channels. That’s what I research, teach and advise on: as a brand consultant, professor of brand sociology, and advisory board member of a global family business.
From breakfast cereals to smartphones, nothing is left unbranded: brands arewith us every step of the way. We define ourselves through the brands we surround ourselves with. Even if we reject brands, that’s a brand statement. Brands are everywhere in the 21st century – that’s exactly why we all have an opinion on them. When it comes to private life, there is little objection to this concept. However, when it comes to brand management and brand positioning with - in a company, personal sensitivities and feelings are out of place.
Too many opinions, too little wisdom: In 50 timeless answers, brand sociologistsDr. Arnd Zschiesche and Prof. Dr. Oliver Errichiello put a stop to the brand debates that are shaped by the zeitgeist. They speak in plain language where vague chatter typically prevails. And they show why every brand is a social phenomenon that has an impact: It’s about the management of social “hardfacts.” Not just in Europe. Classic European Brand Management leads the way for every company seriously focusing on economic success for the long term –internally, as well. It’s time for timeless, value-oriented Branding from the old continent.
The book analyzes the success factors of ecological and social brands and offers insights into the strategies of modern corporations, family businesses and social enterprises. What are the characteristics of successful "green brands" in the long term? How can they be effectively developed, managed and communicated?
Based on business administration, brand sociology and social psychology, the authors describe overarching structural features and demonstrate solutions step by step using concrete examples. Experiences in the development and Europe-wide implementation of the green brand "wooden radio" form the basis for numerous recommendations that can be directly implemented. The reader receives clear analysis and implementation tools to anchor already existing sustainable brands in daily business and to develop young brands in a planned manner. The 2nd edition has been extensively revised and supplemented with current examples.
Inspiring for all who want to make green brands strong.
Cybernetics is a science for understanding and systematically using information. As a subject of cybernetics, the brand is becoming increasingly important, especially in times of acceleration and infinite, global commodity markets. Only those who are able to preserve their patterns in the age of change and adapt them again and again to the requirements of the times will survive. Neither customer data nor creative ideas help here, but a sound knowledge of the structural functioning of all living beings - organic and social. By bringing together brand sociology and management cybernetics, this essential clarifies the invisible social forces of attraction. By illustrating the overarching dynamics of all (living) systems, universal insights can be gained and planned strategies developed.
In this age of a hyper-complex and totally interconnected world that no longer knows pauses, forgiveness is essential. The author explains that collective forgiveness is in no way inferior to love in its mysteriousness. We humans are unfathomable beings. Although we usually act thoughtfully and rationally, many actions and decisions cannot seem to be logically derived. Forgiveness - everyone knows it and has experienced it - is one of them. Forgiveness is one of the most important and exciting phenomena of human communication. The book answers questions such as: Why do we forgive some people and not others? Why does forgiveness take time? Why have people always forgiven each other - or rejected the very act of forgiving? Do we forgive individuals in a personal environment more easily or we more hesitant than with a group of people? And most importantly, why is collective forgiveness effective across time and cultures?
The book is thought-provoking and offers valuable impulses to better understand one's own and social actions. This book is a translation of the original German 1st edition Kollektives Verzeihen by Oliver Errichiello, published by Springer-Verlag GmbH, DE, part of Springer Nature in 2021. The translation was done with the help of artificial intelligence (machine translation by the service DeepL.com). A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation. Springer Nature works continuously to further the development of tools for the production of books and on the related technologies to support the authors.
