Enhancing the Effectiveness of Cause-Related Marketing: Visual Style, Self-Construal, and Consumer Responses
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Conceptual Framework and Hypotheses
2.1. CRM
2.2. Attribution Theory and Inferred Motives of CRM
2.3. Visual Styles in CRM
2.4. Moderating Role of Self-Construal
3. Study 1
3.1. Pretest
3.2. Participants, Design, and Procedure
3.3. Results and Discussion
- Manipulation check
- Main effects
- Mediation effects
3.4. Discussion
4. Study 2
4.1. Pretest
4.2. Participants, Design, and Procedure
4.3. Results and Discussion
- Manipulation check
- Main effects and moderating effects
- Moderated mediation effects
4.4. Discussion
5. General Discussion
5.1. Key Findings
5.2. Theoretical Contributions
5.3. Practical Implications
5.4. Limitations and Recommendations for Future Research
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
Appendix A. Experimental Materials of the Study
References
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Constructs | Measurement Items | Source |
---|---|---|
Brand attitude (Studies 1 and 2) | Unfavorable–favorable | [62] |
Bad–good | ||
Unappealing–appealing | ||
Purchase intention (Studies 1 and 2) | I would be willing to participate in this CRM campaign | [63] |
I would consider purchasing this product in order to help the cause | ||
It is likely that I would contribute to this cause by getting involved in this CRM campaign | ||
Perceived self-serving motives (Studies 1 and 2) | The firm has a hidden motive in its involvement with the cause | [49] |
The firm is acting in its own self-interest | ||
The firm is ultimately acting to benefit itself | ||
The firm ultimately cares about its profits | ||
The firm wants to persuade me to buy its products | ||
Self-construal (Study 2) | I have respect for the authority figures with whom I interact | [64,65] |
It is important for me to maintain harmony within my group | ||
My happiness depends on the happiness of those around me | ||
I respect people who are modest about themselves | ||
I will sacrifice my self-interest for the benefit of the group I am in | ||
I often have the feeling that my relationships with others are more important than my own accomplishments | ||
I should take into consideration my parents’ advice when making education/career plans | ||
It is important to me to respect decisions made by the group | ||
I will stay in a group if they need me, even when I’m not happy with the group | ||
I would offer my seat to my superior at any occasion | ||
I’d rather say “No” directly than risk being misunderstood | ||
I enjoy being unique and different from others in many respects | ||
I am comfortable with being singled out for praise or rewards | ||
Having a lively imagination is important to me | ||
My personal identity, independent of others, is very important to me | ||
Speaking up during a conference is not a problem for me |
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Fu, H.; Meng, J.; Chen, Y.; Cai, W.; Lai, J.; Ma, H. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Cause-Related Marketing: Visual Style, Self-Construal, and Consumer Responses. Sustainability 2023, 15, 13379. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813379
Fu H, Meng J, Chen Y, Cai W, Lai J, Ma H. Enhancing the Effectiveness of Cause-Related Marketing: Visual Style, Self-Construal, and Consumer Responses. Sustainability. 2023; 15(18):13379. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813379
Chicago/Turabian StyleFu, Huijian, Jiayu Meng, Yiman Chen, Wei Cai, Jinhui Lai, and Haiying Ma. 2023. "Enhancing the Effectiveness of Cause-Related Marketing: Visual Style, Self-Construal, and Consumer Responses" Sustainability 15, no. 18: 13379. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813379