Authenticity or opportunism: consumers’ perception of brand activism practices and the mediating role of consumer-brand identification

As brand activism continues to move up the corporate agenda, a more comprehensive understanding of its effects is needed. This paper contributes to the evolving research by investigating moral emotions (i.e. other-praising and other-condemning emotions) as mediating factors and consumer-brand identification (CBI) as a moderator that shape consumer reactions to brand activism. Three scenario-based experiments on two divisive topics show that activist messages elicit moral emotions that determine how individuals respond to them, depending on whether or not they agree with the brand’s stance. Moreover, this effect of (dis)agreeing with the brand’s stance on brand attitude is moderated by CBI. In case of a strong identification, an activist message does not affect brand attitude as CBI attenuates the activation of moral emotions – both in the positive case of agreement and in the negative case of disagreement. Finally, brand activism may counter the brand’s social goals, as it disproportionally motivates opponents of the brand’s stand to advocate their own contrary views on the contentious issue. In sum, these findings underscore both the emotional nature of consumer reactions to brand activism and the high level of social responsibility of companies that position themselves as political actors.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate the influence of consumer–brand values deviation on consumer reactions transactionally (i.e. purchase intention) and relationally (i.e. brand loyalty) and uncover two important boundary conditions, namely, cause controversy and consumption goal.Design/methodology/approachThis paper uses online surveys to test the interactions between consumer-brand values deviation and cause controversy and consumption goal, which subsequently impacts consumer–brand identification.FindingsConsumer–brand values deviation negatively affects consumers’ purchase intention and brand loyalty, and consumer–brand identification plays a mediating role in this focal detrimental influence. More importantly, when consumer–brand values deviation concerns highly controversial causes or when consumers’ consumption goal is hedonic (vs utilitarian), the impact of consumer–brand values deviation on consumer–brand identification is strengthened.Research limitations/implicationsThe study reveals that brand activism tends to be riskier under certain circumstances by uncovering the boundary effects of cause controversy and consumption goal.Practical implicationsBrands can more effectively engage in brand activism when they consider the controversy level of the cause on which they take a stance and the consumption goal of target consumers. Brand activism that concerns highly controversial issues or triggers a hedonic consumption goal can be extra risky due to its amplified impact on consumer–brand identification.Originality/valueThis paper introduces two boundary conditions when studying the downstream effects of brand activism and highlight the double-sidedness of brand activism.

PurposeThis paper aims to examine relationships between consumer-brand identification (CBI), brand prestige (BP), brand anthropomorphism (BA) and consumers’ active engagement in brand activities on social media in corporate brand settings.Design/methodology/approachData collected with an online survey on a sample randomly drawn from an online panel of consumers were used to test the proposed theoretical model.FindingsAnthropomorphism and prestige of corporate brands were found to positively influence consumer-brand identification. Also, CBI positively affects consumers’ active engagement and fully mediates the effect of BP and BA on consumers-brand engagement (CBE) with corporate brands.Research limitations/implicationsFurther research in other markets and on a broader set of corporate brands would additionally validate results and enable comparisons of impacts among different brand categories. The data were gathered in one country, so further research in other markets would additionally validate results of this study.Practical implicationsChief executives responsible for corporate brand management are provided with some insights on how appropriate corporate brand identity management can strengthen CBI and stimulate CBE on social media.Originality/valueThis paper provides some novel insights into the research on consumer-brand identification. It is the first study (to the authors’ knowledge) that empirically supports the positive influence of brand anthropomorphism on CBI in corporate brand settings. It also contributes to the clarification of previously inconsistent results of the influence of BP on CBI. By showing that consumers’ identification with a corporate brand plays a vital role in increasing consumers’ active engagement on social media, the study contributes to the relatively sparse body of research on CBE.

PurposeThrough activism, brands participate in the sociopolitical controversies that shape society today. Based on social identity theory, this study aims to examine the moderating effects of consumer–brand identification (CBI) and political ideology in explaining consumer responses to brand activism. Furthermore, the role of perceived marginalization that can arise in the case of consumer–brand disagreement is explored.Design/methodology/approachThe hypothesized effects were tested in three experiments. Study 1 (n = 262) and Study 2 (n = 322) used a moderation analysis, which was supplemented by a mixed design analysis with repeated measures in Study 1. In Study 3 (n = 383), the mediating effect of perceived marginalization by the brand was tested using a moderated mediation model.FindingsThe results show that strong CBI as well as a conservative ideology buffer the negative effects of consumer–brand disagreement on brand attitude and word-of-mouth intentions. In the case of agreement with a brand’s stance, no direct or interactive effects of brand activism on consumer responses occur. Perceived marginalization by a brand mediates the effects of brand activism.Originality/valueThis study extends the “love is blind” versus “love becomes hate” debate to the realm of brand activism and finds evidence for the former effect. It also contributes to the research on political consumption by highlighting the role of political ideology as an important boundary condition for brand activism. Perceived marginalization is identified as a relevant risk for activist brands.

Previous research has established the importance of competence and warmth in consumer brand evaluation. Integrating an extended three-dimensional stereotype content model (SCM) with brand heritage research, it is suggested that morality and sociability represent subdimensions of warmth. Three studies employ actual brands in divergent product categories and consumer samples within distinct cultural settings to show that morality and sociability mediate positive effects of brand heritage on consumer-brand identification: self-respect moderates the morality – consumer-brand identification relationship and moral decoupling moderates the paths between brand heritage, sociability, morality, and competence, respectively. Effects are robust when accounting for a number of controls. The findings aid managers in more effectively using their brand’s heritage as a social value to stimulate consumer-brand identification.

This research focused on brand activism campaigns in a global marketing context. It explored how consumers judge a brand’s activism authenticity. An online survey was conducted in Italy. Data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach. According to the findings authenticity strengthens the relationships between brand value congruence and consumer-brand identification, and the relationship between consumer-brand identification and intention to support an activist brand, respectively. However, it does not moderate the relationship between consumer political ideology and intention to support an activist brand. These findings suggest considering factors beyond authenticity, particularly consumers’ political ideology when designing brand activism campaigns.

Brands acting in a role as social justice educators—versus simply taking a stance—has become a popular, inclusive, social media advertising strategy implemented by brands advocating for contentious sociopolitical issues. This educational brand activism strategy utilizes evidence-backed issue literacy in campaigns. Integrating value congruity and consumer–brand identification theory, this study examines how brand activism approaches (as educators, as stance-takers, as apolitical) interact with consumer–brand issue agreement to influence consumers’ responses, specifically within the context of transgender issues. This study also explores whether reactance and perceived brand social responsibility mediate the interaction effects of brand activism strategy and consumer–brand issue agreement. The results revealed asymmetrical effects of brand activism strategies. The educating approach was effective in reducing reactance while optimizing brand attitude and perceived brand responsibility among the consumers disagreeing with the brand’s issue stance. Perceived brand social responsibility significantly mediated the interaction effects of the two main factors. This work illuminates how brand activism can reach across the aisle to challenge consumers' beliefs and drive social impacts while optimizing consumer responses. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.