The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility Orientation on the Consumer's Perception of Advertisers' Intention

Abstract

The study examines whether consumers' corporate social responsibility orientation (CSRO) can affect the perceptions of the sponsor's intention in advocating social causes as altruistic or self-serving in the context of values advocacy advertising. A quasi-experimental design with two ad stimuli sponsored by Miller Brewing Company and McDonald's was conducted. The study suggests that those who have high levels of expectations for business to perform both business (e.g., maximization of profits) and social roles (e.g., philanthropic efforts) are most likely to relate to values advocacy advertising messages and attribute to the sponsor altruistic motives in sponsoring social causes. It was noteworthy that the findings emerged differently depending on the types of sponsor's industry and the prior perception toward the sponsor.