Research on the Dilemma of Consumer Empowerment and Brand Control in Brand Co-creation of Platform Enterprises and Its Resolution Paths
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54097/sa6dr638Keywords:
Platform-based enterprise, Co-creation of brand, Consumer empowerment, Brand control, Governance pathways.Abstract
With the development of the digital economy and platform-based business models, platform enterprises increasingly need consumer participation in co-creating brands to access innovative resources, enhance user engagement, and increase brand asset value. However, this process presents a tension between "consumer empowerment" and "brand control": on one hand, granting consumers greater autonomy can stimulate creativity, foster emotional connections, and strengthen brand loyalty, thereby improving the effectiveness of brand co-creation; on the other hand, excessive empowerment may lead to loss of brand control, inconsistent content quality, misalignment with corporate strategic goals, and even erosion of brand equity and reputational risks, placing companies in a dilemma between "decentralized chaos and centralized stagnation." Drawing on theories of brand co-creation, consumer empowerment, and organizational control, this paper analyzes the operational mechanisms and contradictions involved in brand co-creation within platform enterprises, exploring the root causes of this dilemma—such as the conflict between platform ecosystem openness and corporate strategic stability, the tension between consumer agency and brand consistency management, and challenges in governing user-generated content (UGC) under digital technologies. To address these issues, the paper proposes a "dynamic balance" approach: first, establishing a tiered and differentiated empowerment mechanism that grants varying levels of authority based on consumers' participation depth and expertise; second, implementing flexible brand management through soft controls such as value-driven guidance, community self-governance, and algorithm-assisted content moderation; third, leveraging digital tools to build real-time feedback and collaborative co-creation platforms that strengthen trust and shared benefits between firms and consumers, thus achieving a dynamic equilibrium between empowerment and control. The paper argues that platform enterprises should move beyond binary thinking and instead adopt a synergistic governance model that balances openness with orderliness, effectively integrating institutional design, technological capabilities, and cultural development to maximize co-creation efficiency while safeguarding brand assets. This research not only enriches existing scholarship on brand co-creation and consumer empowerment but also offers practical recommendations for enterprises seeking to enhance their brand management and competitiveness in practice.
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