The relationship between brands and social marketing is not something new for brand managers; it is from the concept of happiness management (Ravina-Ripoll et al., 2020). Starting from a situation of social tension characterized by the anxieties and vital desires of a society, brand management based on the binomial of social marketing and happiness management allows building brands that manage to absorb and reflect the culture around them (Heding et al., 2009), becoming containers of identity myths that take advantage of advertising to develop attractive messages for their audiences. Based on this approach, devised by Holt (2004), it aims to work on the collective nature of the brand (Ollé & Riu, 2009) through its interaction with everyday situations and insights and its relationship with the surrounding environment. This communication aims to analyse the case of Santander Group, recognised by the Renowned Brands Forum as one of the most real and coherent brands among its consumers.

Keywords: Advertising; brand; happiness; management; marketing; social.