From Cause to Innovation: Exploring How Cause-Related Marketing Antecedents Shape Innovative Digital Service Models

Existing cause-related marketing research examines antecedents in isolation; however, their hierarchical interaction in driving service innovation remains underdeveloped. Addressing this gap, the study employs Modified Total Interpretive Structural Modeling and MICMAC analysis to develop a seven-level hierarchical model. Cause-brand fit and authenticity emerge as foundational drivers shaping consumer and brand identification, cascading through service encounters and co-creation toward innovative digital service models. The research extends the cause-related marketing literature by analyzing hierarchical pathways linking cause stimuli to innovation outcomes. The framework enables managers to prioritize investments in authenticity that systematically drive digital service innovation.