Brand Activism Induced Consumer Alienation

Brand activism, or purpose-driven branding, is a special application of cause-related marketing (C-RM) which has become an increasingly important response to consumers who demand brands speak out on important social issues. Although brand managers aim to support consumer segment interests with appropriate strategies, they risk alienating some consumers. In this research, consumer alienation induced by brand positioning toward socially divisive causes, is investigated and reported in two studies. The results suggest that brands can experience significantly reduced purchase intention and brand attraction due to socially alienated consumers. This effect also emerges among consumers that are neutral toward the cause or causes chosen by the brand, suggesting that neutral customers often turn away from brands that take strong positions on polarizing social issues.