Sustainability and Social Responsibility

A Path to Altruism: Investigating the Effects of Messages Focus and Explicitness in CR-M Campaigns

Authors: Hongjoo Woo (Yonsei University) , Michelle L Childs (The University of Tennessee) , Seeun Kim (Auburn University)

Abstract

Fashion apparel brands have responded to the growing consumer interest in cause-related marketing (CR-M)—firms’ marketing campaign linked to cause fundraising. Despite the popularity of CR-M, there is still a need to understand how specific CR-M campaign messages craft a company’s image. Addressing this need, this experimental study tests whether the message factors of a fashion apparel brand’s CR-M campaign produce varying effects on consumers’ perception of brand altruism. The experimental study utilized a 2 (message focus: global vs. local) x 2 (message explicitness: implicit vs. explicit)between-subject factorial design where the visual experimental stimuli portrayed the brand’s CR-M campaign. Results indicate that CR-M messages need to be carefully crafted to establish a brand position as altruistic, based on what issue the CR-M campaign is focused on. Specifically, when a CR-M campaign is locally-focused, an implicit message is more effective.

Keywords: experiment, explicitness, brand altruism, message focus

How to Cite: Woo, H. , Childs, M. L. & Kim, S. (2019) “A Path to Altruism: Investigating the Effects of Messages Focus and Explicitness in CR-M Campaigns”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings. 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.8299