Inferring brand integrity from marketing communications: The effects of brand transparency signals in a consumer empowerment context

Persuasion literature suggests that consumers increasingly seek brand integrity, yet this advertising outcome remains underexplored, despite the clear need for managerial guidance from academic research. Drawing on signaling theory, this study investigates the signaling effect of brand transparency in marketing communications on brand integrity perceptions, in the timely context of advertising for consumer-ideated new products. Four experiments compare transparency signaling effects across various levels of product complexity-to-design and reputation. The data indicate causal relationships between transparency signals and brand integrity, and this robust effect persists across studies, independent of the level of product complexity-to-design. Perceived empowerment mediates the relationship, with downstream effects on behavioral intentions. The advertising response variables exhibit greater sensitivity for poor reputation brands, suggesting a transparency-repairing mechanism. Two single-paper meta-analyses confirm the theoretical value of transparency as a signal. The findings encourage brand managers to seek greater word–deed alignment, to achieve the most significant social benefits.