The Effects of Partnership‐Based Cause‐Related Marketing Program on Consumers' Perceived Authenticity, Meaningfulness, and Supporting Behaviors: Moderating Roles of Perceived Pain and Calling

Abstract

ABSTRACT The effectiveness of cause‐related marketing (CRM) depends on how CRM initiatives are designed and communicated to consumers. To advance theoretical understanding of effective CRM practice, drawing on the attribution theory and martyrdom effect, the current study examined how characteristics of CRM programs, specifically, CRM motives (self‐serving vs. public‐serving), interact with levels of expected consumer engagement (i.e., perceived pain), and personal traits (e.g., calling for the issue and moral identity) to shape support for the CRM initiative and the associated brand. The purposes of the current study were to examine: (1) the effect of CRM motives on perceived authenticity and consumer supporting behaviors, (2) the mediating effects of authenticity and meaningfulness, and (3) the moderating roles of consumers' perceived pain and calling for a children's starvation issue. Experiment 1 demonstrated that the public‐serving CRM motive, paired with a CRM event that requires pain (i.e., a marathon), resulted in greater perceived CRM authenticity and supporting behaviors than other conditions. Experiment 2 extended the first study by incorporating calling and meaningfulness. The results showed that CRM authenticity and meaningfulness sequentially mediated the effects of CRM motives on supporting behaviors (i.e., brand eWOM, event eWOM, and donation). The effect of public‐serving motive on CRM authenticity was significant across all perceived pain and calling conditions but was strongest in the marathon/high‐calling condition. This research contributes to the CRM and marketing literature by identifying the mechanisms that explain when and why consumers perceive authenticity and meaningfulness in CRM programs and, consequently, engage in supporting behaviors.