Overcoming Consumer Skepticism in Cause-Related Marketing: The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility and Donation Size Claim Objectivity

TLDR

Cause‑related marketing is increasingly popular, yet consumer skepticism—likely to lower acceptance of advertising claims—has risen. The study investigates how marketers can reduce consumer skepticism by manipulating perceived corporate social responsibility and the objectivity of donation‑size claims. The study manipulates the level of perceived corporate social responsibility and the level of claim objectivity regarding donation size. Consumers were more likely to disbelieve the ad claim when the advertiser was perceived as socially irresponsible versus responsible, and when donation size was stated subjectively versus objectively.

Abstract

Even though cause-related marketing has become an increasingly popular marketing tool, consumers have become skeptical about this strategy. Consumer skepticism is likely to lower the acceptance of advertising claims. The current study investigates how marketers might minimize consumer skepticism by varying the level of perceived corporate social responsibility and the level of claim objectivity regarding donation size. The results indicated that consumers were more likely to disbelieve the ad claim when the advertiser was perceived to be socially irresponsible than responsible. In addition, consumers were more likely to disbelieve the ad claim when the donation size was stated subjectively than objectively.