A Path to Altruism: Investigating the Effects of Messages Focus and Explicitness in CR-M Campaigns

Hongjoo Woo,Seeun Kim,Michelle L Childs

doi:10.31274/itaa.8299

Abstract

Fashion apparel brands have responded to the growing consumer interest in cause-related marketing (CR-M)—firms’ marketing campaign linked to cause fundraising. Despite the popularity of CR-M, there is still a need to understand how specific CR-M campaign messages craft a company’s image. Addressing this need, this experimental study tests whether the message factors of a fashion apparel brand’s CR-M campaign produce varying effects on consumers’ perception of brand altruism. The experimental study utilized a 2 (message focus: global vs. local) x 2 (message explicitness: implicit vs. explicit)between-subject factorial design where the visual experimental stimuli portrayed the brand’s CR-M campaign. Results indicate that CR-M messages need to be carefully crafted to establish a brand position as altruistic, based on what issue the CR-M campaign is focused on. Specifically, when a CR-M campaign is locally-focused, an implicit message is more effective.

Highlights

Conceptual Framework/Hypotheses Development: Construal-level theory (CLT) posits that the psychological distance of an event differentiates consumers’ perception toward the event (Trope & Liberman, 2003)
That is, when a cause-related marketing (CR-M) campaign is focused on a local issue, consumers are likely to feel closer psychological distance, developing highly favorable perceptions towards the CR-M message, such as perceived brand altruism (Fujita et al, 2006)
When a CR-M campaign is focused on a global issue, it creates a further psychological distance, which is likely to generate less favorable perceptions towards the CR-M message

Summary

Introduction

Conceptual Framework/Hypotheses Development: Construal-level theory (CLT) posits that the psychological distance of an event differentiates consumers’ perception toward the event (Trope & Liberman, 2003). The proximity (spatial distance) of the issue in a CR-M campaign (local vs global issue) can create different level of psychological distance among consumers.

Results

Conclusion