When influencers hold brand activism accountable: the interplay of influencer call-ins/outs and brand response strategies

Influencers holding brand activism accountable—part of the broader de-influencing movement—has become both a phenomenon marketers must strategically address and a content genre influencers use for social advocacy and personal brand management. While such accountability confrontation may redirect advocacy outcomes, it poses challenges for brands and influencers. Within the context of brand activism combating environmental injustice, this research (N = 728) examines how influencers’ accountability confrontation approaches (call-out, call-in) and brands’ response strategies (accommodative, defensive, no response) shape consumers’ psychological responses to influencers and brands, accounting for consumers’ identity proximity to the social group affected by environmental injustice (issue ingroup, issue outgroup). When influencers called in and/or brands responded accommodatively, mutually favorable outcomes emerged. The positive effects of influencer-brand mutual accommodation on commercial outcomes were pronounced among the issue ingroup, mediated by perceived brand hypocrisy. The findings advance theory on influencer-brand dynamics in activism and offer guidance for navigating public accountability communication.