This paper examines the intersection between alternative social movements and corporate actors, focusing on the shared practices and potential overlap between these spheres. By analyzing the case of the Burning Man community and its globally recognized brand, this study explores three key research questions: the elements of a brand and its application in the context of counter-cultural social movements, the role of radical social movement members in brand co-creation, and how brand management can support co-creation within counter-culture social movements. Grounded in social movement literature and theories of brand management, this conceptual paper draws from the Burning Man Journal publications to investigate the relationship between branding and the Burning Man community. Burning Man, a participatory culture and annual event held in Black Rock City, Nevada, represents a unique case of a counter-cultural social movement. The paper challenges the notion that a brand is solely represented by a logo, highlighting the duality of brand identity and brand image. Burning Man's perspective on branding aligns with the concept of co-created brands, emphasizing the dynamic and iterative nature of brand identity.

• Elina Koivisto(Aalto University, School of Business, Finland)
• Jukka-Pekka Heikkilä(Universidad de Los Andes, School of Management, Bogota Colombia)