Spillover of social responsibility associations in a brand portfolio
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-06-2014-0629 |
| Pages | 596-609 |
| Published date | 21 September 2015 |
| Date | 21 September 2015 |
| Author | Wenling Wang,Daniel Korschun |
| Subject Matter | Marketing,Product management,Brand management/equity |
Spillover of social responsibility associations
in a brand portfolio
Wenling Wang
Department of Business, Guilford College, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA, and
Daniel Korschun
Department of Marketing, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Abstract
Purpose – This paper aims to explore the spillover effect of social responsibility (SR) activity at the product brand level on the full brand portfolio.
Extant research has established that SR activity can be beneficial to companies by influencing consumers’ SR associations with the company and
its product brands. However, most studies only look at the outcomes of SR implemented at the corporate level (i.e. corporate social responsibility
[CSR]). This paper provides a new and expanded perspective by exploring how SR at the product brand level reverberates throughout the full brand
portfolio. Drawing on associative network theory, the authors propose a conceptual model that predicts when and how SR associations with a
product brand spillover to corporate brand and other product brands and the consequences of this spillover.
Design/methodology/approach – Two experiments were conducted to test the conceptual model. The authors used utilitarian products (frozen
yogurt, ice cream, and soft drink) in the first experiment and value-expressive products (running shoes, T-shirt and watch) in the second experiment.
Findings – Both experiments found support for the proposed spillover effect. The moderating impact of corporate branding strategy and product
category fit on the strength of spillover effect were also examined.
Practical implications – The findings will help managers make better decisions about which brands (product and corporate level) should be
involved in SR activity.
Originality/value – This research offers a new perspective to look at the consequences of SR activity and reveals a larger picture than extant
research on CSR by indicating the impact of a product brand’s SR initiative on the whole brand portfolio.
Keywords Corporate social responsibility, Brand portfolio, Social responsibility associations, Spillover effect
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
As social responsibility (SR) continues its march into the
mainstream (Berger et al., 2007), it is becoming clear that
investments in such activity can provide companies with
substantial returns in the form of purchase intent (e.g. Sen et al.,
2006), word-of-mouth behaviors (e.g. Du et al., 2007),
willingness to pay (e.g. Trudel and Cotte, 2008) and consumer–
company identification (e.g. Lichtenstein et al., 2004;Sen and
Bhattacharya, 2001). These outcomes occur by influencing the
cognitive associations that consumers hold about both a
company and its products. Realizing that these SR associations
reside at multiple levels, some companies enact SR activities at
both the corporate and product levels. For example, the Cheerios
brand supports children’s literacy through a community program
that distributes children’s books in Cheerios boxes; meanwhile,
the company General Mills, which operates the Cheerios brand,
donates millions of dollars to charitable organizations each year
under the corporate brand (Source: General Mills Global
Responsibility Report 2012[1]).
Most prior research on SR focuses on consequences of SR
initiatives implemented at the corporate level (i.e. corporate social
responsibility [CSR]; Bhattacharya and Sen, 2004;Brown and
Dacin, 1997;Creyer and Ross, 1997;Du et al., 2007;Ellen et al.,
2000;Murray and Vogel, 1997;Sen and Bhattacharya, 2001;
Sen et al., 2006). However, for companies such as General Mills
which also perform SR activities at the level of specific product
brands (e.g. Cheerios), the effects of SR implemented at the
product level are still quite murky.
Additionally, previous research has highlighted the need to
examine brands through a broadened perspective, assessing
the impact of any marketing activity on the entire portfolio of
brands (Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000). Thus, an open
question is whether and how a product brand’s SR activities
may influence the corporate brand and other product brands
in a company’s brand portfolio. There is anecdotal evidence
suggesting that such an impact may occur. For example,
Business Week notes that “the Prius hybrid-electric car has
given Toyota bragging rights as a clean, green, and tech-savvy
company” (Welch, 2005). The promotion of its flagship
“green” car may lead consumers to view the company and
other Toyota brands (e.g. Camry, Sienna and Rav4) as more
socially responsible than they might otherwise. Nevertheless,
no prior research has examined this impact.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on
Emerald Insight at: www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
24/6 (2015) 596–609
© Emerald Group Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-06-2014-0629]
The authors thank Rajneesh Suri, Rolph Anderson, Pravin Nath, John
Kounios and the three anonymous reviewers of the 2009 AMA Summer
Conference for their many helpful and valuable comments and
suggestions.
596
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