Corporate branding strategies in mergers and acquisitions

' This article analyzes the structural antecedents of the corporate name strategy in approximately 300 large mergers and acquisitions completed between 2001 and 2006. Six propositions are formulated drawing on previous empirical work. We define brand strategies as conservative when the new entity adopts the acquirer's or the target's corporate name. In turn, brand strategies are innovative in the case of a mixed or new name. Probit regressions show that divisional acquisitions, vertical integrations, diversifications and the sectors involved do not affect the probability of the strategy being innovative. On the other hand, innovative brand strategies are more probable in the case of mergers (as opposed to acquisitions), horizontal M&As and financial investments.