Purpose – This study provides analytical insights into corporate brand-rapture (CBR), its antecedents and consequences, and contributes to methodology for modeling CBRs. Design/methodology/approach – The paper defines the construct and develops a theory that explains how corporate brand-rapture works and is testable empirically.

Findings - CBR merits further investigation as a potentially valid, operational concept in marketing that underpins the conscious and unconscious drivers of the corporate brand’s strongest stakeholders and that lays the foundations of research into corporate brand-rapture communication.

Research limitations/implications - The paper, while remaining conceptual, identifies a dynamic concept of interest to researchers and to corporate brand marketing management and proposes seven fundamental propositions for modeling CBR.

Practical implications – The paper provides researchers and corporate brand marketing with a more rigorous understanding of the foundations of engagement with a corporate brand.

Originality/value – This paper is the first so far on CBR theory and provides insights that are important to corporate brand marketers and their communications strategies.