Cause-brand Alliance Research Articles

The importance of fit: a predictive model of cause marketing effects

ABSTRACT A predictive model was developed to help brands improve cause-related marketing campaigns by identifying the most impactful relationships among important campaign variables. The largest effect in the MASEM model (K = 81, N = 25,554) was found for cause-brand fit on attitudes toward the cause-brand alliance (β = .40). Two of the four proposed belief factors examined acted as mediating variables: consumers’ involvement with the cause and their skepticism. Three attitude factors mediated the impact of beliefs on CRM purchase intentions: perceptions of cause-brand fit, attitude toward the brand, and attitudes toward the CRM alliance. Skepticism also had a direct negative effect on CRM purchase intentions.

Understanding consumer attitudes in cause-brand alliances in sports: the role of sport entity attitudes

PurposeThis study examines the effects of congruence and reliability on cause-brand alliance (CBA) program attitudes—exploring how CBA program attitudes and sport entity attitudes affect attitudes toward a sport-related and sport-unrelated brand in a single CBA.Design/methodology/approachAbout 240 survey participants answered questions before and after being exposed to information about the NFL Play 60 program. Consistent partial least squares structural equation modeling is utilized to test the hypotheses.FindingsResults suggest both congruence and reliability positively influence CBA program success; and both sport-related and sport-unrelated brands positively affect consumer attitudes when they participate in a CBA with a high-profile sport entity. This occurs directly through CBA program attitudes for a sport-unrelated brand and indirectly through sport entity attitudes for a sport-related brand.Originality/valueThis study extends the CBA literature in sports by showing (1) the role of reliability on CBA program attitudes, (2) the role of sport entity attitudes on other cause partner attitudes and (3) different paths for sport-related versus sport-unrelated brands that are partnered with a premium sport entity to achieve CBA program brand enhancements.

COMPANY CREDIBILITY: A TOOL TO TRIGGER POSITIVE CSR IMAGE IN THE CAUSE-BRAND ALLIANCE CONTEXT IN INDONESIA

Purpose of study: This research aims to analyze the mediating effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) image in the effect of company credibility dimensions (trustworthiness and expertise) on participation intention, in the cause–brand alliance (CBA) context.
 Methodology: The sample design which is used is purposive sampling with the sample criteria as the stakeholders of the University of Lampung, Indonesia. Data were collected by direct interview. Multiple regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses with 160 university’s stakeholders, using purposive sampling.
 Result: The results show that trustworthiness and expertise have a directly positive significant effect on CSR image. However, expertise statistically has a greater positive significant effect on consumer participation intention toward the CBA than trustworthiness. This finding is contrary to the contrast-effect theoretical framework (Dean, 2003) and balance theory (Heider, 1958). Newly finding is that CSR image considered a mediating role in the effect of trustworthiness and expertise credibility on participation intention.
 Implications: This implies that in the context of CBA, the company’s trustworthiness and expertise can be a more useful tool to trigger the positive CSR image in encouraging the stakeholders’ perception to buy the products and services or brand of the company implementing CSR, because CBA practices are considered as a genuine social cause, not as a promotion tool.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: In this study, the collected data uses the cross-sectional design and the CBA context uses CBA practices implemented by agriculture, education service, beverage industry, and a bank stated-owned enterprise.

Brand identification, cause-brand alliances and perceived cause controversy

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the extent to which a cause-brand alliance (CBA) leads to improved attitude toward cause-brand alliance, which in turn leads to improved brand identification. Design/methodology/approach The approach uses a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects experimental design to examine the interaction effect of the brand ally, the non-profit ally, and the perception of cause controversy on a customer’s attitude toward the CBA, which in turn affects identification with the brand ally. Findings On average, customers’ perception of cause controversy influences attitude toward the CBA and subsequently the level of identification with the brand ally. When a non-profit organization is connected to a controversial issue, managerial options for building a successful CBA are more limited than when the non-profit is noncontroversial. Research limitations/implications We contribute to consumer learning theory in the context of CBA research by identifying an important boundary condition – perceived cause controversy. Perceived cause controversy impedes the customer’s learning about partners in CBA. Moreover, fit and cue consistency are separate constructs. Practical implications CBAs help build customer brand identification. Brand managers must include the customer’s perceived cause controversy, the ally’s unique information, and the customer’s attitude toward the nonprofit in the decision calculus. Brands have an opportunity to demonstrate corporate social responsibility and build identification by helping a less well-established nonprofit to build positive customer attitudes. If the non-profit is linked to controversy, this opportunity is constrained. Originality/value A boundary condition-perceived cause controversy influences how the partners in a CBA differentially influence the customer’s attitude toward the CBA and, ultimately, brand identification.

Developing successful cause-related marketing campaigns through social-networks the moderating role of users’ age

This paper joins two streams of literature: caused-related marketing and viral advertising. Three main objectives guide our work: (i) to test whether a transfer of attitudes occurs in a viral cause-related marketing campaign (ii) to test the effectiveness of viral videos promoting a social cause (intention to share through social networks); (iii) to analyze the moderating role of users’ age. An investigation was done with 431 netizens who expressed their opinions in a questionnaire after viewing an online cause-related video about dog adoption sponsored by a pet food brand. Our results show that previous attitudes towards viral adds will improve cause-brand alliance attitudes (H1) and brand attitudes (H3). Also, cause-brand alliance attitudes will improve brand attitudes (H2). The intention to share cause-related viral videos will increase when positive attitudes exist for the add (H5), the brand (H5) and the alliance (H6). Finally, age differences affect the strength of the relationships in 3 of the cases.

Consumer Evaluation of Cause-Brand Alliance in Cause-Related Advertising: The Role of Brand Familiarity and Personal Relevance

The current study aims to investigate the relative effects of cause-related marketing (CRM) involving cause-brand alliance (CBA) while evaluate the relationship between the cause brand familiarity and personal relevance of the cause. A 2 X 2 (cause brand familiarity: high or low and personal relevance: high or low) experimental study examines the effects on attitudes toward ad, company, and cause-brand alliance (CBA). The overall findings attest to the main effects of cause brand familiarity, personal relevance of the cause, and the interaction effects of the familiarity and relevance. Theoretical and managerial implications, limitations, and future research are discussed.

Selecting the Right Cause from the Right Category: Does the Role of Product Category Matter in Cause-Brand Alliance? A Case Study of Students in Shanghai Universities

Increased competition is making it difficult to distinguish products solely by attributes, creating room for cause-related marketing. In this study with a sample of 322 university students, we evaluated the changes in consumer attitudes toward cause and brand as consequences of Cause Brand Alliance (CBA), by using the product category as moderator. Four popular brands from two product categories, including durable and nondurable, and four causes from different cause categories involving health, human service, animal, and environment, have been used. ANOVA has been used to compare the means of consumers' responses toward cause and brand, in relation to CBA at different times. Results show that linked cause and brand improve the attitude of the consumers toward the cause as well as the brand. In the case of the cause, improvement in consumer attitude is high for the durable product category, but low for the non-durable product category. So for the brand, improvement in consumer attitude is there regardless of product categories (durable, non-durable) when it is attached to different types of causes. This improvement is high for association with human-related causes compared to that of non-human-related causes. Findings suggest that in forming a CBA, cause-managers should pay more attention in selecting product category for alliances, and brand-managers have to impute more interest in establishing alliance with human-related cause.

A study on attitudinal behavior and purchase intention with reference to cause related marketing

This paper is intended to understand the factors influencing the attitude towards company and purchase intention in Cause Related Marketing context, when a firm is associated to a cause or charity programme. The study establishes that corporate motive, level of acceptance of cause-brand alliance and corporate credibility are the antecedents of positive attitude towards company and purchase intention contributes key to the success of cause related marketing. It is assumed that attribution of corporate motive can be categorized as altruistic and corporate centric motives. The public assuming cause related marketing campaign initiated by the company as corporate centric motive becomes negative to the company image rather than perceiving altruistic motive. Furthermore, attribution of corporate motive as altruistic will enhance level of acceptance of cause-brand alliance. Higher level of acceptance can enhance corporate credibility and in turn positively influence attitude and purchase intention. The study has made an attempt to understand the relationship between the factors like corporate motive, level of acceptance of cause-brand alliance and corporate credibility influencing attitude towards company and purchase intention.

New Thinking on Antecedents to Successful CRM Campaigns: Consumer Acceptance of an Alliance

The nature of a cause-brand alliance (CBA) makes it a unique marketing promotion that creates an association or alliance between the corporation selling a product and a social cause or issue. This study was developed to resolve the equivocal research results of past research. The research results suggest that consumer acceptance of a CBA mediates the relationships between situational contexts (prevalence of the social cause and congruence of the alliance) and consumer attitude toward the corporate alliance partner. This study observed that when prevalence is high, consumers’ acceptance of that CBA is high as well. Surprisingly, congruency did not have a significant impact on acceptance. Reasons for this unexpected finding are explored in detail. Finally, the acceptance of the CBA had a positive effect on consumers’ attitude toward the CBA.

Creating Effective Cause-Related Marketing Campaigns

Based on the schema and attribution theories, this study examined hypotheses addressing the effects of cause-brand fit and campaign new source on consumers' attitudes toward a cause-brand alliance by modifying consumers' perceptions of the brand's motivation to engage in the alliance. An online experiment was conducted with a national sample of 742 college students using a 2 (cause vs. brand message source) x 2 (low vs. high cause-brand fit) between-subjects design based on hypothetical cause-brand alliance scenarios. Findings indicate that cause-brand fit influences cause-brand alliance attitude by increasing consumers' perceived altruistic brand motivations, whereas campaign news source did not have a significant impact on cause-brand alliance attitude. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.

Dual nature of cause‐brand fit

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse the dual nature of social cause‐brand fit by studying the influence of two cause‐brand fit categories, functional fit and image fit, on the formation of brand corporate social responsibility consumer perception (CSR perception) in a cause‐brand alliance (CBA) context.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical model is proposed, based on previous research, which explains the effect of functional fit and image fit on altruistic attributions, brand credibility and CSR image; these relationships were assessed through structural equation modelling. The model was estimated with a sample of 299 Spanish consumers of toiletries and cosmetics products, randomly selected. Two newly created, printed CBA advertisements served as the basic stimulus of the study.FindingsThis research shows that consumers perceive functional and image fit differently, and each has its own mechanism for influencing brand CSR perception. While functional fit has a direct, although gentle influence on CSR perception, image fit has an indirect influence, as it is used as a cue to evaluate altruistic brand motivations and brand credibility.Research limitations/implicationsThe chosen research approach may reduce the generalisability of the results. Further empirical testing using alternative brands and outcome measures is encouraged.Practical implicationsBoth types of fit influence the formation of CSR perception, and should therefore be postulated as decision criteria to brand managers for choosing the CBA partner. Specifically, brands which are likely of being perceived as not credible or egoistic when associating with the cause, must pay special attention to image fit.Originality/valueThis work analyses and compares simultaneously the influence of functional fit and image fit on CSR brand perception formation in the context of a CBA strategy.

Cause–brand alliances: does the cause help the brand or does the brand help the cause?

Partnering charitable causes with brands has become a common practice for many marketing programs referred to strategically as cause-related marketing. While there is the perception that both partners benefit from the alliance, research has focused primarily on the benefits to the brand. This experiment ( n=463) evaluates changes in attitude for both the cause and the brand as a consequence of the cause–brand alliance (CBA) using familiarity of the cause as a moderator. The results show that allying a cause with a familiar brand improves attitude toward the cause when the cause is unfamiliar but has less impact on a familiar cause. The effect of the alliance on brand attitudes is positive regardless of the degree of cause familiarity. These results suggest that managers of unfamiliar causes rather than familiar causes may have a greater vested interest in forming a CBA, and brand managers are beneficiaries of the partnership either way.