IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/ijmark/v2020y2020i1d10.1007_s43039-020-00001-w.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Standing for politics: What consequences for brands?

Author

Listed:
  • Laura Grazzini

    (University of Eastern Piedmont)

  • Diletta Acuti

    (University of Portsmouth)

  • Valentina Mazzoli

    (Univerisity of Florence)

  • Luca Petruzzellis

    (University of Bari Aldo Moro)

  • Daniel Korschun

    (Drexel University)

Abstract

This research explores how corporate political activity (CPA) affects consumers’ online behavior. Recently, brands’ engagement in the political realm has expanded as results of new trends such as globalization and technology advancement. However, it is still not clear how this more activist approach is perceived by consumers. Drawing from attribution theory and corporate hypocrisy, this study explains how consumers’ e-WOM spread once brands develop CPAs in terms of action and communication. A mixed-method design combining a content analysis (Study 1) with an online experiment (Study 2) is presented to obtain a multifaceted representation of the phenomenon. Study 1 provides information on consumers’ reactions toward CPAs shared online, while Study 2 delves deeper to test the effect of CPA on consumers’ negative e-WOM, by comparing a political communication initiative with a political action and proposing perceived genuine concern and hypocrisy as the underlying mechanisms of this effect. This research offers insightful theoretical and practical implications, providing brand managers actionable levers on how to reduce negative e-WOM.

Suggested Citation

  • Laura Grazzini & Diletta Acuti & Valentina Mazzoli & Luca Petruzzellis & Daniel Korschun, 2020. "Standing for politics: What consequences for brands?," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2020(1), pages 49-65, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:ijmark:v:2020:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s43039-020-00001-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s43039-020-00001-w
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43039-020-00001-w
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s43039-020-00001-w?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bougie, J.R.G. & Pieters, R. & Zeelenberg, M., 2003. "Angry customers don't come back, they get back : The experience and behavioral implications of anger and dissatisfaction in services," Other publications TiSEM 1708fb71-fd68-41d9-b870-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    2. Arli, Denni & Grace, Anthony & Palmer, Janet & Pham, Cuong, 2017. "Investigating the direct and indirect effects of corporate hypocrisy and perceived corporate reputation on consumers’ attitudes toward the company," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 139-145.
    3. Kiju Jung & Ellen Garbarino & Donnel A. Briley & Jesse Wynhausen, 2017. "Blue and Red Voices: Effects of Political Ideology on Consumers’ Complaining and Disputing Behavior," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 44(3), pages 477-499.
    4. Andrew m. Mclaughlin & GRANT JORDAN & WILLIAM A. MALONEY, 1993. "Corporate Lobbying in the European Community," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(2), pages 191-212, June.
    5. Thomas Lawton & Steven Mcguire & Tazeeb Rajwani, 2013. "Corporate Political Activity : A Literature Review and Research Agenda," Post-Print hal-02312913, HAL.
    6. Gergely Nyilasy & Harsha Gangadharbatla & Angela Paladino, 2014. "Perceived Greenwashing: The Interactive Effects of Green Advertising and Corporate Environmental Performance on Consumer Reactions," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 125(4), pages 693-707, December.
    7. Shuili Du & C. B. Bhattacharya & Sankar Sen, 2011. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Competitive Advantage: Overcoming the Trust Barrier," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 57(9), pages 1528-1545, March.
    8. Kaplan, Andreas M. & Haenlein, Michael, 2010. "Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of Social Media," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 53(1), pages 59-68, January.
    9. Mark Groza & Mya Pronschinske & Matthew Walker, 2011. "Perceived Organizational Motives and Consumer Responses to Proactive and Reactive CSR," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 102(4), pages 639-652, September.
    10. C. Batson & Elizabeth Collins & Adam Powell, 2006. "‘Doing Business After the Fall: The Virtue of Moral Hypocrisy’," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 66(4), pages 321-335, July.
    11. Valentina Mazzoli & Laura Grazzini & Diletta Acuti & Raffaele Donvito, 2019. "Consumers’ Reaction to Brands Political Activity," Micro & Macro Marketing, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 539-564.
    12. Boyd, D. Eric & McGarry, Benjamin Michael & Clarke, Theresa B., 2016. "Exploring the empowering and paradoxical relationship between social media and CSR activism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(8), pages 2739-2746.
    13. Frank Hond & Kathleen A. Rehbein & Frank G. A. Bakker & Hilde Kooijmans-van Lankveld, 2014. "Playing on Two Chessboards: Reputation Effects between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Political Activity (CPA)," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(5), pages 790-813, July.
    14. Jay J. Janney & Steve Gove, 2011. "Reputation and Corporate Social Responsibility Aberrations, Trends, and Hypocrisy: Reactions to Firm Choices in the Stock Option Backdating Scandal," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(7), pages 1562-1585, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Francesca Pratesi & Lala Hu & Riccardo Rialti & Lamberto Zollo & Monica Faraoni, 2021. "Cultural dimensions in online purchase behavior: Evidence from a cross-cultural study," Italian Journal of Marketing, Springer, vol. 2021(3), pages 227-247, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hongdan Zhao & Jing Xu & Yuanhua Chen & Wenyuan Sun, 2020. "The Employee Attributions of Corporate Hypocrisy in Corporate Social Responsibility: An Explore Research Based on Grounded Theory," SAGE Open, , vol. 10(2), pages 21582440209, May.
    2. Whitney Ginder & Wi-Suk Kwon & Sang-Eun Byun, 2021. "Effects of Internal–External Congruence-Based CSR Positioning: An Attribution Theory Approach," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 169(2), pages 355-369, March.
    3. Andersen, Sophie Esmann & Johansen, Trine Susanne, 2021. "Corporate citizenship: Challenging the corporate centricity in corporate marketing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 686-699.
    4. repec:aud:audfin:v:21:y:2019:i:51:p:422 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Francesca Colli & Johan Adriaensen, 2020. "Lobbying the state or the market? A framework to study civil society organizations’ strategic behavior," Regulation & Governance, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(3), pages 501-513, July.
    6. Hadani, Michael & Doh, Jonathan P. & Schneider, Marguerite, 2019. "Social movements and corporate political activity: Managerial responses to socially oriented shareholder activism," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 156-170.
    7. Shao‐Chi Chang & Heng‐Yu Chang, 2015. "Corporate Motivations of Product Recall Strategy: Exploring the Role of Corporate Social Responsibility in Stakeholder Engagement," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(6), pages 393-407, November.
    8. Pei Sun & Jonathan P. Doh & Tazeeb Rajwani & Donald Siegel, 2021. "Navigating cross-border institutional complexity: A review and assessment of multinational nonmarket strategy research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1818-1853, December.
    9. Hartwell, Christopher A. & Devinney, Timothy M., 2024. "The demands of populism on business and the creation of “corporate political obligations”," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(2).
    10. Andreia Borges & Nelson Ramalho, 2024. "A multi‐level model integrating corporate social responsibility and political activity in the European Union: What are the institutional implications for foreign companies?," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 4265-4279, September.
    11. Yanyan Li & Yu Gao & Shanxing Gao, 2023. "Organizational slack, entrepreneurial orientation, and corporate political activity: From the behavioral theory of the firm," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-12, December.
    12. Nicolas G. A. Lorgnier & Che-Jen Su & Shawn M. O’Rourke, 2022. "Brands’ perceived sustainable development goals: index development and applications with professional sport teams and fast-food brands," Service Business, Springer;Pan-Pacific Business Association, vol. 16(1), pages 125-157, March.
    13. Greiner, Michael & Kim, Jaemin & Cordon Thor, Jennifer, 2023. "Narcissistic CEOs and their corporate political activity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    14. Ryan W. Buell & Basak Kalkanci, 2021. "How Transparency into Internal and External Responsibility Initiatives Influences Consumer Choice," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(2), pages 932-950, February.
    15. Meijui Sun & Ming-Chang Huang, 2022. "Does CSR reputation mitigate the impact of corporate social irresponsibility?," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 21(2), pages 261-285, April.
    16. Dustin Smith & Eric Rhiney, 2020. "CSR commitments, perceptions of hypocrisy, and recovery," International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, Springer, vol. 5(1), pages 1-12, December.
    17. Nils Christian Hoffmann & Juelin Yin & Stefan Hoffmann, 2020. "Chain of Blame: A Multi-country Study of Consumer Reactions Towards Supplier Hypocrisy in Global Supply Chains," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 247-286, April.
    18. Cosmina Lelia Voinea & Hans Kranenburg, 2018. "Feeling the Squeeze: Nonmarket Institutional Pressures and Firm Nonmarket Strategies," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 705-741, October.
    19. Gammeltoft, Peter & Panibratov, Andrei, 2024. "Emerging market multinationals and the politics of internationalization," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(3).
    20. Qiong Jia & Liyuan Wei & Xiaotong Li, 2019. "Visualizing Sustainability Research in Business and Management (1990–2019) and Emerging Topics: A Large-Scale Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-37, October.
    21. Kudzaishe Charlotte Gaura & Wilbert Manyanga & Lovemore Chikazhe, 2021. "The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Brand Awareness: Evidence from the Insurance Sector in Zimbabwe," Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets, University of Warsaw, Faculty of Management, vol. 2(13), pages 22-36.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:ijmark:v:2020:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1007_s43039-020-00001-w. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.