Determinants of Participation and Outcomes in A Cause Marketing Event: A Laddering Approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT While a rich stream of studies has emerged to understand customer identification at the brand level, this topic has not been addressed from an event marketing perspective. Secondly, although the concept of self-brand connections has received increased attention in the marketing literature, there is a paucity of studies examining this behavioral outcome in the context of event marketing. This study is the first of its kind to provide insights into how value drives participation in a branded marketing event organized by a nonprofit institution. Using the example of the branded marketing event, “Walk the Talk Community against Violence,” organized by the Soroptimist organization, this study explores participants’ motives to engage in marketing events and the subsequent impact of the engagement on participants’ self-brand connections. Analysis of data obtained through a semi-qualitative laddering approach (n = 40 participants) revealed 3 dominant perceptual patterns: external value (“social engagement identity”); internal value (“moral identity”), and interpersonal value (“social citizenship”). Though limited in scope by its exploratory character, the study contributes toward a deeper understanding of participation and outcomes in a cause marketing event. Implications for theory and practice and further research are also discussed.