From brand activism to CER: leveraging social media to communicating corporate social efforts

<p dir="ltr">The central aim of this publication-based PhD thesis is to examine how companies can effectively communicate their social efforts through social media and how these efforts influence consumer responses by analysing the following two types of corporate social initiatives: brand activism and corporate environmental responsibility (CER). This topic is particularly significant given the growing consumer scepticism towards traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) approaches. As social media continues to emerge as a fast, interactive platform for information sharing, it has become one of the most effective tools for fostering communication and engagement between companies and consumers. Thus, social media enables companies to strategically share their social initiatives, conveying authenticity and sincerity in their messaging and reducing consumer scepticism. </p><p dir="ltr">In response to recent trends, the first and second papers of this thesis shift the focus from traditional CSR to the emerging concept of brand activism, clarifying its definition and examining its role on social media in conveying corporate social commitment and influencing consumer responses. Unlike traditional CSR, which often avoids divisive topics, brand activism has gained momentum as consumers increasingly expect companies to take stances on controversial sociopolitical issues, showcasing social courage by supporting or opposing these issues—even at the risk of alienating specific audience segments. Social media amplifies the authenticity of brand activism by providing companies with a direct channel through which to engage consumers, communicate a sincere commitment to social betterment, and capture public attention. </p><p dir="ltr">However, the extensive reach of social media also poses a challenge, as brand activism can elicit negative sentiment among those who disagree with a company’s position. Current studies present varying perspectives on brand activism, with empirical findings producing mixed results (e.g., Bhagwat et al., 2020; Blanco et al., 2023). Thus, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of brand activism on social media. To accurately examine this effect, a clear and well-defined concept of brand activism is crucial. As an emerging area of study, brand activism remains in its early stages of academic exploration, lacking a widely accepted definition or theoretical framework. This situation highlights the pressing need for a comprehensive and explicit conceptualisation of the term. </p><p dir="ltr">The first paper addresses this gap, offering a comprehensive conceptualisation of brand activism and identifying the following seven critical dimensions of brand activism: purpose, operational relatedness, scope of controversy, key actors, target audience, activity, and degree of publicity. Additionally, an analysis of those theories embedded in the literature reveals the following five primary themes: like-mindedness among consumers, authentic corporate signalling, motivations behind brand activism, critical perspectives on its use, and its role as a platform for open discourse. This study establishes a conceptual foundation for understanding brand activism from both definitional and theoretical perspectives, providing directions for future research and the basis for the second paper. </p><p dir="ltr">Building on the first paper, the second study examines the effectiveness of brand activism on social media, focusing specifically on consumer responses to brand activism on Twitter. The second study examines consumer engagement and sentiment towards brand activism tweets and explores how brand features, such as company size, activism history, and product type, shape these responses. The findings indicate that while consumers are more likely to engage with brand activism tweets than with other types of tweets, the former often evokes negative sentiment; brand features may influence both engagement and sentiment. This study highlights the potential risks associated with brand activism on social media and underscores the importance of companies being strategic when engaging in activism. </p><p dir="ltr">Furthermore, environmental issues are becoming increasingly prominent within CSR. In the context of social media, it is crucial to understand how to leverage its interactive and rapid reach to effectively communicate corporate social initiatives to consumers. Owing to their growing importance and attention, environmental topics serve as a valuable focus for analysing how CER messages on social media can shape positive consumer attitudes. Building on this discussion, the third paper shifts to examining a critical facet of CSR—environmental responsibility—utilising sentiment analysis to assess consumer reactions to CER messaging on social media platforms, such as Twitter. The findings show that concrete and coalition messages foster more favourable brand attitudes when CER messages do not invite consumer participation. Conversely, when consumer participation is invited, abstract and individual messages produce more favourable attitudes. This work demonstrates that framing CER social media messages strategically can significantly enhance perceived motives and improve consumer attitudes towards CSR efforts. </p><p dir="ltr">In summary, the findings of these papers enhance our understanding of how companies can strategically leverage social media to implement corporate social strategies and achieve their desired outcomes. By examining brand activism and proposing a new framework for CER communication on social media, this thesis investigates the factors driving effective consumer responses. The results indicate that while brand activism can successfully increase consumer awareness and engagement on social media, it also acts as a double-edged sword that must be carefully and strategically managed. Moreover, to maximise the impact of CER as a key component of CSR, it is crucial to pair it with effective message framing on social media to enhance consumer attitudes. This thesis concludes by offering practical implications and suggestions for future research directions.</p>