Dubravka Sinčić Ćorić, PhD, Full Professor (corresponding author) Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. E-mail: dsincic@efzg.hr Anja Špoljarić, Research Assistant Faculty of Economics & Business, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia. E-mail: aspoljaric@efzg.hr The origins of internal communication and employer branding in marketing theories 1 Review paper, DOI 10.22522/cmr20210163, received on 19 April 2021 UDK: 005.57:005.95/96 330.1:339.138 Abstract Internal communications and employer branding are recognized as important tools for achieving an inspi- rational working environment, which is both an aim and a means of diferentiation between organisations. A growing number of studies demonstrate a connection between internal communication and employee identifcation with the organisation they work for, as well as with their perception of employer’s brand. The aim of this theoretical paper is to identify and elaborate theoretical foundations that contributed to the development of these two concepts. For that purpose, marketing schools of thought, primarily social exchange school of marketing thought and relationship marketing are analysed and related to the concepts of internal communication, and employer branding. The analysis shows that social exchange school theories can be applied to describe values that are exchanged through internal communication and employer brand activities, while relationship marketing principles are used when implementing these activities in order to develop positive employee relationships. Keywords: internal communication, employer branding, marketing theory, social exchange school, relationship marketing 1 This paper has been fully supported by the Croatian Science Foundation under project no. 3323. 30 COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT REVIEW, 6 (2021) 1 REVIEW PAPER