The impact of claim diagnosticity on consumer scepticism to corporate social responsibility advertising claims (original) (raw)
Related papers
2009
Stakeholders increasingly expect firms to consider their social and environmental impacts as well as their economic impacts, and address their corporate social responsibility (CSR). One stakeholder group, consumers, report they want to be informed of how firms do this, and use this information when purchasing. This paper reports on an investigation of two message variables believed necessary for effective advertising about CSR initiatives, social topic information and social impact specificity. We manipulated each of these variables at three levels for an unfamiliar retail bank brand engaging with the social issue of the arms trade. While social topic information was found to be non-significant in influencing the dependent variable, overall scepticism toward CSR claims, social impact specificity was found to have a significant link to message inhibition of scepticism cognitions. The findings are insightful for marketing communications managers tasked with effectively informing a key stakeholder audience, consumers, of a firm's pro-social achievements.
Advertising corporate social responsibility
Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 2013
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how social topic information (STI) and corporate social responsibility commitment (CSRC) substantiate the firm's CSR claims and promote message persuasion. Design/methodology/approach: A 2x2 between-subjects experimental design was used to examine the impact of STI and CSRC on output variables using an online sample of 176 participants in Australia. Findings: The study found that manipulation of STI had a statistically significant impact on outcome variables, but that CSRC did not. Research limitations/implications: The study was limited to Australia and used a fictitious brand in the experiment. Practical implications: For marketing communications and brand managers, this study informs CSR-based corporate image advertising. Social implications: Support for more socially responsible businesses through responsible consumption can potentially transform product attributes and markets. More effective CSR communication is critical to this response. Originality/value: To date, no research has examined how consumer persuasion of CSR advertising claims might be enhanced using message variables. This study has implications for theory and practice for the effective communication of pro-social achievements, and suggests further research areas.
2007
Consumers increasingly expect companies to make a broader contribution to society. The business benefits of doing so, however, are currently not evident. Prior studies conclude that consumers' purchase decisions are positively influenced by socially responsible initiatives. However, this insight appears to be of little practical relevance if the level of awareness of such initiatives among consumers is very low. emphasise that if CSR is to act as a point of differentiation, awareness of a firm's CSR activities is crucial. We empirically test this awareness level. In doing so we respond to call for research to determine the extent to which consumers are aware of CSR activities businesses engage in. We also determine the extent to which consumers are aware of the social issues firms engage with their CSR programs, a critical antecedent to making sense of firms' CSR-related claims.
Dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility and Advertising Practice
Corporate Reputation Review, 2008
This study attempts to examine the dimensions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) skepticism and to identify the strongest predictor by testing the relationships between the skepticism constructs and public responses. The study further examines the role of cynicism either as an antecedent, a moderator, or a component of CSR skepticism. Through a series of model tests, three factors of CSR skepticism were identified to better predict public responses to CSR: (a) skepticism toward a company's altruism, (b) disbelief of CSR messages and CSR activities, and (c) skepticism toward CSR informativeness. Skepticism toward a company's altruism was identified as the strongest predictor in determining negative public response to CSR, whereas cynicism did not have much predictive power to explain public response to CSR; as a result, it was excluded from the final dimensions of CSR skepticism.
Examining consumer attitudes toward CSR and CSA messages
Public Relations Review
This study conducts a 2 (message type: CSR vs. CSA) x 2 (source: company vs. nonprofit organization) factorial online experiment to examine impacts on individuals' attitude changes and WOM intention regarding a company. Values-driven attributions and perceptions of company-cause fit were measured as mediating variables. Results indicate that individuals inferred more values-driven motives from CSR messages than CSA messages, which ultimately led to more positive attitude changes toward the company. Theoretical implications for both CSR and CSA scholarship are discussed. Several implications for companies and strategic communicators are offered.
The impact of company type and corporate social responsibility messaging on consumer perceptions
Consumer distrust is particularly salient in the context of the current mortgage crisis, and mortgage companies are looking for ways to change their image and regain consumer confidence. This study examines whether advertisements portraying a message of corporate social responsibility (CSR) might help financial institutions in enhancing consumer perceptions of the company. One hundred subjects were randomly selected from among the faculty and staff of a large American university. Subjects were exposed to advertisements, with or without a CSR message, for two well-known service organizations (JP Morgan Chase and Verizon). Results suggest that consumers harbor negative attitudes toward mortgage companies and skepticism about advertising from these companies, but that the inclusion of a CSR message can mitigate these effects, resulting in improved attitudes toward the company. Managerial implications are discussed.
Disentangling Consumers’ CSR Knowledge Types and Effects
Sustainability
This paper examines consumers’ objective knowledge of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for brands over different product categories, and investigates whether objective knowledge influences attitudes to CSR, and the relationships between demographics and objective knowledge. The research uses an innovative approach to examining consumer CSR knowledge via (largely) unprompted recall. The analysis uses independent judges to score actual consumer objective knowledge of the CSR of well-known brands against the policies and actions of the brand owner. The research reveals that participants’ objective knowledge of CSR was limited or, in many cases, there was no knowledge. Further, the number and type of CSR policies did not influence overall evaluations of CSR. However, where objective knowledge was held, it did positively influence evaluations. The findings of the research direct managerial attention towards improvement of the communication of CSR, including using the research method...