Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Brand activism in a polarizing world: the roles of cause controversy and consumption goal

Brand activism in a polarizing world: the roles of cause controversy and consumption goal This 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. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Product & Brand Management Emerald Publishing

Brand activism in a polarizing world: the roles of cause controversy and consumption goal

Zhao, Lin; Cui, Annie; Du, Shuili
Journal of Product & Brand Management , Volume 33 (8): 13 – Nov 26, 2024
Download PDF
13 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/emerald-publishing/brand-activism-in-a-polarizing-world-the-roles-of-cause-controversy-2vBY7RSWha

References (78)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
© Emerald Publishing Limited
ISSN
1061-0421
eISSN
2054-1643
DOI
10.1108/jpbm-01-2024-4934
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This 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.

Journal

Journal of Product & Brand Management – Emerald Publishing

Published: Nov 26, 2024

Keywords: Brand activism; Consumer-brand values deviation; Cause controversy; Consumer–brand identification; Hedonic; Utilitarian; Consumption goal; Brand loyalty

There are no references for this article.