A critical review of the literature on authenticity: Evolution and future research agenda

Consumers today are increasingly requiring an authentic product or self, while marketers are also using authenticity to reconnect cultures, stories, and community to inspire consumers. Although previous research has identified a range of cues of authenticity in various contexts, limited attention is devoted to the nature and evolution of authenticity in marketing literature. Building on extant literature, we broaden our understanding of authenticity in the marketing theory development and in marketing-related decision-making process. In this paper, we analyse authenticity, firstly by providing a review of the concept and its development, and then specifically by exploring the theoretical and managerial implications of authenticity in the marketing discipline. The following key aspects are derived: authenticity is a sign of maturing theoretical concept; authenticity is an attribute-oriented idea; and consumer-based authenticity evolves and adapts.