Shaping the Halal into a brand?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review current literature and practices concerning the usage and consumption of Halal, within marketing and branding. Following this, the paper is to both stimulate discussions and encourage further thinking within this field. /methodology/approach – The paper uses inductive reasoning and syllogisms, as a basis for conceptual metaphor theory and critical discourse analysis. Evidence gathered from structured and systematic literature reviews – supported by existing empirical data, anecdotal evidence, personal observations and experience is also used. – In business, the doctrine of what is Halal, has culminated in the creation of ingredient brands and in some cases forms of co-branding. However, the Halal's full potential has yet to be harnessed and there remain areas of dissonance and misunderstanding. Reasons offered by the authors are that current applications of brand theory unnecessarily restrict the term Halal and presuppose that there is one interpretation of its meaning. Also, instead of current trends which focus on rate determining steps within functional marketing approaches per se, Halal's competitive advantage is of more significance when delivered via the tacit elements of strategy and management. limitations/implications – As a conceptual paper, research is limited at times by a lack of empirical data and attempts necessitating the exploration of wide-ranging cross-disciplinary sources and stakeholder engagements. /value – Growing market interest suggests its significance to both Muslims and non-Muslims. Furthermore, whilst research reveals studies looking at “meat and money” (Halal meat and Islamic finance) centred on functional attributes and monolithic consumption, few explore Halal's figurative and brand elements amongst diverse audiences.