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Abstract

In a world of attention scarcity, cause-related marketing strategies generate a substantially greater impact. The neurophysiological mechanisms that support favorable consumer attitudes toward cause-related marketing messages are, however, rather little understood. This study attempts to comprehend how a marketer may employ cause-related marketing initiatives to improve the company’s reputation as well as how program, company, and product identities affect consumers’ attitude toward the corporate image. Following the classical experimental design, this study uses four stimuli to investigate the effects of cause type and cause category on attitude toward corporate image. The four different stimuli used in this study are exposure to a negative corporate image of a fictitious brand, exposure to a negative corporate image with exposure to cause-related marketing message on Save Amazon Rainforest, exposure to a negative corporate image, and exposure to cause-related marketing message on Educate Homeless Children project, and exposure to a negative corporate image and exposure to cause-related marketing message on feeding the hungry homeless children with a description about the gravity of hunger among the poor homeless children of India. For this study, 1,171 urban Indian consumers were used as the sample. The study suggests that empathy-embedded cause-related marketing communications are characterized by primary need-based humanitarian causes. This study thus validates the mirror neuron hypothesis, which confirms that customer-centricity increases with the degree to which the communication content is similar to that of the respondent. A higher degree of customer-centricity results in a better advertisement attitude, which improves consumer attitude toward the corporate image.

Keywords

Introduction

Cause-related marketing (CrM) is a type of marketing communication, in which businesses seek to work with consumers with a favorable attitude toward a social cause and to enhance their corporate image. It is considered as one of the methods used by businesses to inform, remind, and persuade consumers directly or indirectly about their services or products or even about their corporate policies and mission (Bergkvist & Taylor, 2016). Cause-related marketing, according to Nelson and Vilela (2017), is a “marketing strategy that joins a business with a charitable cause as part of a marketing campaign for mutual gain.” Thus, in order to achieve the organization’s social and economic goals, an effort is made to identify the company’s social obligation on the one hand and its marketing strategy on the other. Additionally, it serves to advance society and improve people’s quality of life and communal well-being. Cause-related marketing is one of the marketing strategies that is expanding the fastest, according to Kumar and Bansal (2017) and hence, demonstrates the importance and potential that managers attach to this approach in the marketing environment. According to Aggarwal and Singh (2019), cause-related marketing is very beneficial for marketers in increasing their corporate social responsibility activities and achieving a competitive commercial edge. The study also suggests that consumers view cause-related marketing as a powerful instrument for communication. “Communications that arise from businesses’ advertising, sales promotion, public relations, direct marketing, and personal selling activities are considered as part of the organization’s marketing communication,” said Chinedu et al. (2020).

These communication strategies are employed by corporates to raise customer awareness of their brands and strengthen their corporate image. In their bibliometric examination of the literature on cause-related marketing, Bhatti et al. (2022) noted how the CrM idea had changed over time from a marketing tool to a CSR endeavor. The findings revealed that only a few journals published articles on CrM. Geographically, the CrM research began in North America, then moved on to nations in Europe, Oceania, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. In cross-cultural studies, there was increasing cooperation and the adoption of a mixed-method approach starting in the third decade. In an effort to better understand how cause-related marketing affects consumer purchase intentions, Suchita (2020) identified three components from the 11 variables that affect consumer purchase intentions for items with cause-related marketing. The purchase intention for items with a cause-related marketing was found to be significantly influenced by the gender, social cause, and brand dependability. Ye et al. (2021) investigated how the cause-related marketing method and product type interact to influence purchase intention and concluded that CrM approach and product type have an interactive effect on purchase intention. They also discovered that the association between the CrM method, product type, and purchase intention is mediated by perceived helpfulness.

Akansha and Govind (2020) attempted to explore the concept of customer engagement within the framework of cause-related marketing. The authors have tried to respond to research questions like “How online retail organizations operating in India are framing CrM campaigns for enhancing consumer engagement, and what are the factors that motivate consumers to engage with CrM initiatives of online retailers” by using a simultaneous mixed-method approach. Samu and Wymer (2014) argued that consumers always favor cause-related marketing efforts and their attitude toward these programs is on an increase. Consumer evaluations of the cause and the brand supporting it are constantly influenced by their personal attitudes, experiences, and beliefs (Wei et al., 2020). The elements determining the effectiveness of cause-related marketing strategies were examined by Yucel-Aybat and Hsieh (2021). The study, which employed three distinct interventions with supported causes, found that consumers’ attitudes regarding changeability had a substantial impact on how they responded to cause-related marketing. The study also showed that when the firm-cause fit is high, consumers with growth mindsets are more receptive to cause-related marketing initiatives that emphasize others’ benefits. However, the study found that when the firm-cause match is poor, consumers with more fixed mindsets are more receptive to cause-related marketing initiatives that benefit others.

As a result, this study aims to comprehend how a marketer might employ cause-related marketing initiatives to improve a company’s brand image as well as how program, company, and product identities affect customers’ attitude toward corporate image. The study makes an additional effort to comprehend the impact that consumer attitude about the advertising play in illuminating the connection between cause-related marketing and corporate image.

Mirror Neuron Theory

Mirror neurons are a specific type of visuomotor neurons in the brain that display activity when a person performs an action and when they see another person performing a similar movement (Lacoste-Badie & Droulers, 2014). Understanding mirror neurons can help in better explaining consumer behavior (Janiszewski & Wyer, 2014). “Mirror neurons allow the consumer to learn vicariously in a passive environment, which is an ideal scenario as it represents most situations in which the consumer is exposed to a marketing message,” noted Weber (2007) in explaining the implications of mirror neurons for marketing practices in general, and advertising, sales promotion, personal selling strategies, and new product launch in particular. Mirror neurons, according to Cross et al. (2009), can increase replication and observational learning. It has been discovered that embodied simulation processes, or the activation of the same brain circuits underlying our own emotional and sensory experiences, influence human ability to empathize with others. The gestural theory of speech genesis received strong support with the development of mirror neurons. A direct connection between a message’s source and its recipient is made possible by mirror neurons. In the mirror mechanism, without any intellectual input, one person’s behaviors produce signals that another person recognizes (Gallese, 2006). Only a small number of research investigations, nevertheless, have examined the application of mirror neuron theory to the world of advertising.

Cause Related Marketing (CrM) and Corporate Image

Cause-related marketing was described by Hongwe et al. (2019) as a marketing strategy that supports a philanthropic cause or a non-profit organization to increase the product sales. As they note, “cause-related marketing heightens workers’ respect for their employer, which in turn fosters engagement.” The earlier literature on cause-related marketing covers a wide range of topics. It is determined that company-cause fit is the most important factor among them (Chang et al., 2018). Elisabet et al. (2021) investigated how a cause-related marketing campaign affected internet users’ attitudes according to the consumers’ affection for the brand and the cause the brand supports. The study was done across three user categories, based on their affinity toward the brand and the cause promoted by the brand. Through an experimental study, the authors have concluded that the cause-related marketing campaign works well for users with strong affinity, while it works moderately for users with weak affinity. However, they found that for people with a medium level of affinity, the impact of cause-related marketing is minimal. CrM might be strategies for achieving corporate objectives while firmly supporting a non-profit cause (Lafferty & Goldsmith, 2005). Therefore, we suggest that:

H1: Program identity is significantly positively related to attitude toward the advertisement

A consumer’s level of trust in a company’s ability to deliver on its promises while also meeting his or her wants and needs is known as corporate-brand credibility (Keller, 2008). The idea comprises the brand’s reliability and consistency with regard to claim validation, truthfulness, trust-building, and delivering what is advertised by the manufacturer (Alam et al., 2012). Consumers generally have a positive opinion of corporate-sponsored social programs, but frequently they develop doubts about the firm’s motivations and disparage both the sponsor and the program’s message (Szykman et al., 2004). Consequently, the current study postulates that:

H2: Corporate identity is significantly positively related to attitude toward the advertisement

The product identity is one of the key criteria that affects the effectiveness of different CrM programs among other aspects. Product identity is referred to as a product’s overall personality (Spacey, 2016). It is the result of how a client feels about a product. Product category is connected to functional fit, which requires alignment between functional features, functions of the product category, and characteristics of the product type and the cause promoted. The ease with which respondents associate a cause with a brand and the consequent congruence between the brand’s image and the cause are indicated by brand-name fit. In conclusion, the various fit types have various effects on customer perceptions and attitudes. Hence, this study hypothesizes that:

H3: Product identity is significantly positively related to attitude toward advertisement

According to Chattananon et al. (2008), the corporate image is the culmination of stakeholder perceptions of how a company represents itself through its corporate identity mix. This presentation may be done purposefully by sources that are under control or unintentionally by sources that are beyond control. According to Balmer and Gray (1999), business image is crucial in choices like hiring and investment. Additionally, it is crucial in influencing customer behavior. According to Kotler (1991) and Dichter (1985), the corporate image may be thought of as the overall impact a company has on the public’s perception of it. According to Shapiro (1982), a stronger corporate image can positively affect an organization’s sales and market share. Researchers concurred that a positive business image helps build a solid relationship with clients (Andreassen & Lindestad, 1998). Using a strong company image may boost communication effectiveness (Keller & Aaker, 1997). It was established by Hsieh et al. (2004) that company image may affect customer behavior. Sallam and Algammash (2016) looked at the possibility that consumers’ perceptions of commercials might affect how they perceive the corporate and brand images. The study’s findings suggest the significance of one’s attitude toward advertising since it contributes to the good brand and company image that is communicated. Therefore, we suggest:

H4: Attitude toward advertisement is significantly positively related to attitude toward the corporate image

Cause Type (Primary or Secondary Needs)

The fundamental or physiological requirements, which include the need for food, air, and water as well as those that ensure an individual’s existence and survival, are said to be at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs. Sex is part of the psychological need since it is essential for human life and the expansion of the human species (Dima et al., 2012). Depending on different biological and psychological frameworks, a cause may support either secondary needs (life-enhancing) or fundamental human wants (necessities of existence). While secondary forms of reasons pertain to employment, community services, environment, regional economic advancement, etc., primary types of causes might include safety, community health, and other primary desires and needs (Kotler & Lee, 2005). Researchers who compared the effectiveness of CrM campaigns based on primary needs and secondary needs explained that primary causes like ending hunger, eradicating poverty, and ignorance are likely to create a greater degree of identification (Polonsky & Speed, 2001), as well as a more positive corporate image of the cause organization to the respondents (Cornwell & Coote, 2005). The achievement of CrM depends greatly on personal relevance and engagement. According to Sherif et al. (1965), personal relevance refers to a person’s sense of connection as the main element of self-involvement, which is essential to their sense of self. Therefore, we hypothesize that:

H5: An exposure to CrM messages targeting primary needs leads to a more favorable attitude than exposure to CrM messages targeting secondary/tertiary needs

Cause Category (Humanitarian, Social, and Environmental)

The literature on the CrM recognized a number of cause types, including those related to the environment, society, humanitarianism, culture, animals, etc. Consumers are more willing to fund causes aiming at humanitarian concerns, such as treating a sickness or helping catastrophe victims, according to a study done by Ross et al. (2011). Customers are eager to support causes like giving homeless people shelter as well as reasons like funding research into cancer, birth abnormalities, etc. These results support the idea that corporations should prioritize causes with a more humanitarian bent since exposure to them may have a greater positive effect on people’s perceptions of a company’s image. The study of social exchange focuses on how people engage in dynamic social settings where people trade resources, talents, or items in order to reduce costs and increase benefits. It is a framework that takes resources into account as a component of social processes. Additionally, it implies that society’s resources will only continue to flow if they are rewarded (Emerson, 1976). These interactions have been divided into three categories by Bagozzi (1975): utilitarian, symbolic, and mixed. Additionally, he contended that any social interaction is motivated by the psychological and social value of the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of the participants. We hypothesize that:

H6: Exposure to a CrM message targeting a humanitarian cause leads to a more favorable attitude toward Corporate Image than exposure to CrM message targeting a social/environmental cause.

The conceptual model developed for the study is given in Figure 1:

Figure 1.

The conceptual model.

Method

Data and Methodology

This study follows the framework of classical experimental design, which is the most widely used design to measure attitudinal and behavioral changes (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986). Respondents were assigned to each of the designated groups randomly: Control group, Amazon Rainforest Project Group (hereafter referred to as Amazon Group), Save Child from Education Group (hereafter referred to as Child group), and Food for Homeless Hungry Children Group (hereafter referred to as Hunger group). According to Babbie and Babbie (2004), randomization is often preferred when a pool of respondents is open for participation since it makes it easier to draw impartial, ad hoc conclusions concerning a variety of independent factors.

Independent Variables, Cause, and Stimuli

For this study, the independent variables are program identity, corporate identity, and product identity. In this investigation, a fictitious brand named FIGY Noodles, that offers 2-minute Figy instant noodles for sale was employed. The Save Amazon Rainforest Project, the Child Education Program, and feeding the hungry, homeless children were the three causes chosen. The Save Amazon Rainforest campaign is indirect because the study is being undertaken in India. This is a continuing disaster, a worldwide issue, a concern for the environment, and neither a personal nor humanitarian matter (Bennett, 2017). Using a self-administered questionnaire, data were gathered. For data collection, four different types of questionnaires were created. Group A’s questionnaire was referred to as the Control Group questionnaire and included a description of the corporate enterprise FIGY Noodles, which had a corporate image crisis as a result of a recent food adulteration scandal. The CrM message was also presented to the second set of participants. The “Child Education Program” for children in rural areas was chosen as the focus of the cause marketing campaign. Feeding the hungry, homeless children was the main factor that the third treatment group was exposed to. The stimulus was created with a depiction of the seriousness of hunger among India’s underprivileged and homeless children (Figures 2 –6).

Figure 2.

Pre-test corporate description.

Figure 3.

Stimuli for control group.

Figure 4.

Save the Amazon stimulus (non-humanitarian cause).

Figure 5.

Feeding the homeless children stimulus (primary cause and humanitarian cause).

Figure 6.

Educate poor children stimulus (secondary cause and humanitarian cause).

Independent variables were manipulated using four stimuli:

Stimulus A: An exposure to the negative corporate image of a fictitious brand called FIGY Noodles India Ltd.

Stimulus B: An exposure to the negative corporate image of a fictitious brand called FIGY Noodles India Ltd and exposure to cause-related marketing message on Save Amazon Rainforest by FIGY Noodles India Ltd.

Stimulus C: An exposure to negative corporate image and exposure to cause-related marketing message on Educate Homeless Children project by FIGY Noodles India Ltd.

Stimulus D: An exposure to negative corporate image and exposure to cause-related marketing message on the Feed Homeless Children project by FIGY Noodles India Ltd.

Targeting mostly urban customers, data gathering was done in five of India’s major southern States. In the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, 1,600 respondents were sought from the major cities. In all, 200 respondents aged above 18 and below 70 were randomly allocated to one of the eight experimental groups. In total, 1,214 respondents in all returned the completed survey. Out of 1,214 completed survey forms, 47 were incomplete or had the issue of missing values; as a result, they were eliminated, and 1,171 survey forms were chosen for analysis. Closed-ended questions were used, which is often recommended for self-administered surveys (Bourque & Fielder, 2003). All pre-test groups received the first component of the test. With the exception of the control group during the pre-treatment period, the second part was given to all groups. A cover page including images of the brand and descriptions of the fictitious firm utilized in the study, Figy Noodles India Ltd, was the first part of the pre-test or pre-treatment questionnaire (Table 1).

Table 1.

Dimensions, Constructs, and Measurement Scale.

Dimension	Constructs involved	Items	Source
Attitude to advertisement	Attitude to advertisement	AdE1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8	Holmes and Crocker (1987)
Program identity	Cause involvement	CINV1, 2, 3, 4	Jeong and Wu (2016)
Program identity	Empathy	EM1, 2, 3, 4	Jeong and Wu (2016)
Corporate identity	Corporate value	CV1, 2, 3	Landreth et al. (2004).
	Prosocial behavior	PSB1, 2, 3	Leibetseder et al. (2001)
	Firm motives	FM1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Szykman et al. (2004)
Product identity	Product cause fit	PCF1, 2, 3	Lafferty et al. (2004)
Attitude to corporate image	Attitude to corporate image	CIM1, 2, 3, 4, 5	Sociden et al. (2006)

Source. Prepared by the authors.

The Experiment

The classical experiment was employed to examine the impact of cause type and cause category. The classical experiment is the finest method for evaluating how different types of causes like saving the Amazon Rainforest, educating poor children, and feeding the homeless children affect the corporate image. The respondents chosen in the first phase were divided into two comparable groups—the test group and the control group. The test group’s behavior (dependent variable) was evaluated using the behavior of the control group, which was not exposed to the stimulus.

The second phase involves pre-testing for every group. Because it shows that the groups are equivalent, the pre-test helps to strengthen the validity of the experiment. Pre-test findings for each group would typically be comparable, and if they were different, such pre-test discrepancies would be considered when calculating the influence of the predictor variable. The test group is given treatment in the third phase. The fourth phase is administering a post-test to each group in order to measure the predicted variable. The measurement data were compared in the last phase to check for any variations between the test group and the control group (Table 2).

Table 2.

Summary of Group Characteristics.

Treatment group/characteristics	Control group	Amazon group	Child education	Feeding poor children group
Group	Group 1	Group 2	Group 3	Group 4
Cause type		Tertiary	Secondary	Primary
Cause category		Environmental	Social	Humanitarian

Source. Prepared by the authors.

Manipulation Checks

To eliminate confounding effects, the treatment and control groups are given the following features: same contribution amounts, random sampling, comparable demographics, identical program lengths, usage of FMCG products, and manipulation limited to cause specificity (mirror neuron-based cause).

Results

In the entire sample, there were 446 male participants and 696 female participants, making up 60.9% of the female respondents and 39.1% of the male respondents. According to the research, 47.5% of individuals were married, while 52.5% were single. The participants’ educational backgrounds were as follows: around 50% of them held master’s degrees, 28% held bachelor’s degrees, and nearly 4% additionally held doctoral degrees.

Reliability and Scale Statistics

The standard deviation (SD) measures the deviation or variation of a response from the mean value of an item. Out of all the characteristics, program identity has the greatest mean (51.56) and SD (8.465). Each dimension, which is composed of a number of sub-dimensions, underwent reliability analysis to ensure that each item was internally consistent with the dimension. Except for Product Identity, all scales have Cronbach’s alpha values of more than 0.70. Even after eliminating the item with the lowest score, Product Identity still has a low value of 0.598 (Table 3).

Table 3.

Reliability Score and Descriptive Statistics.

Scale	Cronbach’s alpha	No. of items	Mean	Variance	SD
Program identity	.839	16	51.86	74.739	8.645
Corporate identity	.763	10	31.8	44.301	6.656
Product identity	.598	2	6.37	2.807	1.676
Attitude to ad	.864	9	29.09	42.885	6.549
Corporate image	.834	5	15.77	11.156	3.34

Source. SEM output.

The study’s hypotheses were tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA), post hoc analysis, two-tailed t-test, and structural equation modeling (SEM). The control group, the Amazon Group, the Child Education Group, and the Feed the Hungry Children Group were the four different groups that were subjected to the ANOVA test. To assess the post-treatment mean changes resulting from the influence of various treatments and interactions, the significance of several dependent variables was examined and compared against the control group. All groups demonstrated a statistically significant mean difference between each other and the control group when the mediating variable, attitude to advertisement, was considered. The group Feeding the Hungry got the highest mean difference, followed by the group Child Education. With regard to personal participation, the Amazon group had a higher p value. With the exception of group Amazon, the variable personal involvement was substantial for all other groups. The largest mean difference was recorded by the Feeding the Hungry Group.

Impact of Cause Type and Cause category on Attitude Toward Corporate Image

Consumers would have a higher favorable attitude toward the corporate image when exposed to a primary cause-based CrM message than they would to a secondary cause CrM message. The findings showed that respondents who were exposed to a CrM message focusing on the primary cause of feeding the hungry and homeless children had a more favorable attitude toward corporate image than respondents who were exposed to a CrM campaign focusing on the cause of saving the Amazon Rainforests. Again, the hypothesis predicted that when respondents were exposed to the humanitarian cause category, they would have a more positive attitude about corporate image, rather than the social/environmental cause category. As a result of their exposure to the Feeding the Homeless, Hungry Children campaign, participants had a higher level of positive attitudes about corporate image than those who were exposed to the Child Education campaign message, according to the results.

SEM Analysis Results

The findings indicate that there is a significant variation between the pre- and post-experimental mean values for corporate image both within and across groups. The Child Education Group came in second with a rating of 2.864, while the Feeding the Hungry Group scored the highest at 3.519. A .000 probability level was used to test the model on a sample size of 1,142 with 1,507 degrees of freedom. There were 1,653 sample moments, and 146 different parameters reported. Regression weight examination of individual items against corresponding sub-dimensions revealed no significant value for the product identity items. The study failed to find any relevance for any of the three components in the product-cause fit sub-dimensions. Additionally, corporate identity and company motives 2 and 3 have a negative correlation of −0.350 and −0.500, respectively. Furthermore, the outcome of the analysis of covariances demonstrates that the current model does not consider the interaction effects between product identity and program identity, product identity and corporate identity, attitude change and product identity, product identity and behavior change, and product identity and corporate identity. Almost all interactions involving product identity are statistically insignificant (Table 4).

Table 4.

Model Fit Indices.

Group	CMNIF/DF (<5.0)	GFI (≥0.85)	CFI (CFI ≥ .90)	NFI (NFI ≥ 0.95)	IFI	RMESA (<0.08)
Model	3.673	0.856	0.875	0.837	0.876	0.044

Source. SEM output.

Only the RMSEA demonstrated a decent match; thus, the model was tested for potential improvements. The product identity component was removed from the model after the study revealed it to be a likely misfit, and the model was adjusted as a result.

After deleting the product identity component, it is discovered that the second model, which was derived from the AMOS result, is an over-identified model with a positive degree of freedom (6,845). It is noted that the chi-square for the goodness-of-fit is 22974.684, indicating good value, with 6,845 degrees of freedom—significantly more than twice the degrees of freedom. Table 5 provides the model fit indices following the elimination of the product identity components.

Table 5.

Model Fit Indices After Removing Product Identity Factors.

Group	CMNIF/DF(<1.0 and >5.0)	GFI (GFI ≥ 0.95)	CFI (CFI ≥ .90)	NFI (NFI ≥ 0.95)	IFI	RMESA(<0.08)
Model without product cause fit	3.663	0.961	0.932	0.974	0.901	0.046

Source. SEM output.

Regression Weights of Common Model Without Product Cause Fit

The analysis revealed that there is a negative association between items Cause Involvement 1 (−0.226) and Cause Involvement 2 with Program Identity (−0.253 The components Firm Motives 2 (−0.287) and Firm Motives 3 (−0.236) also showed a negative correlation with Corporate Identity. All other relationships show a positive association between individual items and respective latent variables. The Critical Ratio (CR) is more than 1.96 for the majority of the items, indicating that their estimated path parameters were significant. All items have a low p value in the analysis. Almost all hypothesized paths are found to be significant (p < .001), and supported. The low p value indicates that variation in the independent variable (predictor variable) is associated with corresponding changes dependent variable (response variable) (Table 6).

Table 6.

Results of Hypothesis Testing.

Regression weights: (group number 1: default model)
Dependent variable	Direction	Independent variable	Estimate	p Value	Result
Program identity to attitude toward advertisement
Attitude to ad	←	Cause involvement	0.42	.018	Accepted
Attitude to ad	←	Empathy	0.133	.041	Accepted
Attitude to ad	←	Personal involvement	0.218	.000	Accepted
Corporate identity to attitude toward advertisement
Attitude to ad	←	Corporate values	0.207	.000	Accepted
Attitude to ad	←	Pro-social behavior	0.694	.000	Accepted
Attitude to ad	←	Firm motives	0.861	.000	Accepted
Product identity to attitude toward advertisement
Attitude to ad	←	Product cause fit	0.082	.151	Rejected
Attitude toward advertisement to corporate image
Corporate image	←	Attitude to add	0.843	.000	Accepted

Source. SEM output.

The standardized regression weights of the outcome and hypotheses testing results show the status of support for every hypothesis in the current study. The majority of the hypotheses were accepted and very few were not supported (Table 7).

Table 7.

Comparison of Hypotheses Testing Between Groups.

Independent variable	Direction	Dependent variable	Control group		Amazon		Child education		Feeding hunger
Independent variable	Direction	Dependent variable	β	p Value	β	p Value	β	p Value	β	p Value
Program identity	→	Attitude to ad	.523	0	.571	0	.676	0	.755	0
Corporate identity	→	Attitude to ad	.136	.1	.241	0	.348	0	.369	0
Attitude to ad	→	Corporate image	.551	0	.682	0	.841	0	.884	0

Source. SEM output.

The hypothesis, corporate identity is positively related to attitude to advertisement is found to be insignificant for the control group. All other hypotheses were found to have significant p values and were accepted in the analysis. The result shows that Feeding the Hungry Group has scored the highest beta value in all the four relationships, In general, humanitarian causes fared well in all situations.

Discussion

The main objectives of the current study were to examine the theoretical foundations of the literature on cause-related marketing and gain insights into cause-related marketing as a strategy for improving corporate image. According to the study, Indian consumers with middle- to high-income levels appreciate cause-related marketing initiatives. It is thus advised to include mirror neuron components in these initiatives. Corporates developed cause-related marketing strategies as a differentiation tactic to position themselves in the minds of consumers as a socially responsible corporate citizen. Due to the growing competition, businesses need to stand out, attract new consumers, enhance their brand’s image, and increase revenue (Melero & Montaner, 2016). They must also behave in a way that is socially responsible. Consumers, particularly in India, are antagonistic to the of self-motivated cause marketing appeals and more likely to support sincere, pro-social, and transparent pro-active initiatives that advance the welfare of the entire community. In this perspective, cause-related marketing is seen as a way for companies to achieve both corporate and social objectives (Samu & Wymer, 2009). Consumer responses to CrM tactics are complex. Smart customers will evaluate futuristic firms based on their pro-social performance rather than the strength of their advertising. For improved client attitudes and to improve the corporate image, CrM strategies should be able to guarantee the perceived match between program identity, corporate identity, product identity, and the cause.

The study’s findings, which are in line with those of Sheikh and Beise-Zee (2011), show a favorable correlation between corporate identity and attitude toward advertising. The results revealed, in particular, that cause engagement, empathy, and personal participation are the key elements of program identity that significantly influence consumers’ attitudes about advertisements. Corporate identity variables that affect customer attitudes include corporate values, pro-social behavior, and firm motives. The associative sequence learning model proposed by Heyes (2010) provides additional justification for the strong influence of primary causes over secondary causes on corporate image. The findings of Polonsky and Speed (2001) and Cornwell and Coote (2005) agree with the conclusion that the CrM efforts focused on primary causes like eliminating hunger, eradicating poverty, and combating illiteracy are likely to promote a more positive corporate image. Consumers would have a more favorable attitude toward corporate image when exposed to the humanitarian cause category as opposed to the social/environmental cause category. People who were exposed to the message of the Child Education campaign had less favorable attitude toward corporate image than those who were exposed to the Feed the Homeless Hungry Children campaign. This study’s findings on the beneficial effects of CrM campaigns on consumer attitudes are supported by those of Hajjat (2003) and Melero and Montaner (2016). Additionally, the findings support the findings of Ross et al. (1992) and Kropp et al. (1999).

Managerial Implications

One of the most popular marketing strategies in social marketing is cause-related marketing. According to the current study, those who were exposed to a CrM campaign that focused on a primary cause had a more positive attitude toward corporate image than those who were exposed to a CrM campaign targeting a secondary cause such as saving the Amazon Rainforests. Therefore, in order to capitalize on consumers’ favorable perceptions of the corporate image, marketers should place greater emphasis on the primary cause while developing their CrM campaign. According to the study, when exposed to the humanitarian cause category rather than the social/environmental cause category, people would have a greater favorable attitude toward corporate image. This supports the notion that while developing their CrM strategy, marketers should pay greater attention to the humanitarian purpose. The findings also showed that participants who were exposed to the cause of feeding the homeless and hungry children had a higher level of positive attitudes toward corporate image than those who were exposed to the message of the Child Education campaign. Therefore, marketers may benefit from this tactic to shape consumer attitude toward the corporate image.

Limitations and Scope for Further Studies

One of the major limitations of this study was that the constructs were measured in the context of a fictitious brand. However, fictitious brand has the benefit of eliminating any pre-existing biases or other confounding customer attachments toward already established brand names (TR & Edward, 2017). To avoid a potential confusing effect of prior experience with well-known brands, it is desirable to use hypothetical stimuli when creating advertising stimuli when the brand plays a minor role yet advertising stimuli are crucial (Schneider & Cornwell, 2005). The most advanced way to examine the neurophysiological changes in the brain brought on by various emotional and cognitive processes when the subject is exposed to diverse communication stimuli is a laboratory experiment utilizing the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) instrument. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research, which may have offered a more accurate and scientific conclusion on the relationship between cause-related marketing and attitude toward the corporate image, was not undertaken in this study due to a lack of resources. Due to the complexity of the theoretical model, which is thought to be crucial in influencing cause-related marketing programs, some aspects of the framing mirror neuron-based cause-related marketing theory (such as the moderating role of sudden disasters vs. cause acuteness) have not been examined in the current study. Only empirical testing was done on the conceptual framework for mirror neuron-based cause-related marketing. Future studies using fMRI and other neuro-biological tools that conjointly examine the role and characteristics of mirror neurons and attitude formation in cause-related marketing communication are highly recommended. Future studies may focus on the perceived coherence between the brand’s sector of activity and the type of cause communicated to perceive the honesty of the brand. Future studies may also focus on the role and characteristics of mirror neurons and attitude formation in cause-related marketing communication. The current study has not considered elements that contribute to customer attention like design, format, or medium of advertisement among others. Future researchers can look into these aspects as well, in their studies.

Conclusion

By identifying the most crucial cause types—primary cause and cause category humanitarian cause—for cause-related marketing campaigns, the study gave clear guidance for picking the components of cause-related marketing message design. Mirror neuron-based communication is a word that may be effectively used in the conceptualization of inventive ads. Practitioners should be aware that the brain easily attends to stimuli that are rich in visual content, conveyed in the native tongue, and highly relevant to human primary needs relating to the respondent’s identical situation. The findings of this study provide further theoretical insights into the body of existing literature on cause-related marketing as to how the CrM technique affects consumers’ attitude toward the advertisement, which is less explored in the extant literature.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Minimol M.C

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Cause-Related Marketing and Attitude Toward Corporate Image: An Experimental Study

Abstract

Keywords

Introduction

Mirror Neuron Theory

Cause Related Marketing (CrM) and Corporate Image

Cause Type (Primary or Secondary Needs)

Cause Category (Humanitarian, Social, and Environmental)

Method

Data and Methodology

Independent Variables, Cause, and Stimuli

The Experiment

Manipulation Checks

Results

Reliability and Scale Statistics

Impact of Cause Type and Cause category on Attitude Toward Corporate Image

SEM Analysis Results

Regression Weights of Common Model Without Product Cause Fit

Discussion

Managerial Implications

Limitations and Scope for Further Studies

Conclusion

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

Funding

ORCID iD

References