Abstract

Keywords

Introduction

Conceptual framework

Methodology

Data analysis

Results and discussion

Conclusions, limitations and future lines of research

Declarations

Annexed 1. Measurement tool

References

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate how social responsibility marketing campaigns can be effective in branding for young millennials. An empirical model was applied in three specific cases of cause marketing targeting Generation Y. A total sample of 547 young people was obtained, and the data were analysed through the structural equation methodology using PLS data technical analysis. The results showed that, for millennials, marketing actions with a cause are effective in positioning the brands that carry them out favourably as long as requirements such as the alignment of their objectives with the social ideals and their closeness to millennials are met. Likewise, all the communication elements of the message will influence its effectiveness. This study provides new evidence on the attitudes of young millennials towards brands’ social marketing actions.

۱٫ Introduction

Social responsibility marketing (SRM) has been defined as the design and implementation of marketing programmes that seek to generate a change in consumer behaviour towards a social or environmental cause (Lee and Johnson, 2019). SRM focuses on strategically positioning the brand as being interested in improving society; thus, the company must study its environment and its composition. SRM then starts with a social strategy and seeks to align the brand’s clients with awareness of a particular problem, limiting itself only to generating awareness. SRM programmes are being increasingly popular because consumers are becoming involved with this initiative and feel directly and indirectly affected by what happens to their environment (Kärnä et al., 2003).

SRM actions allow a firm to build a positive brand reputation among its stakeholders since, on the one hand, they align its brand identity with the social objective that it is promoting and, on the other hand, they differentiate the firm from its competitors (Van De Ven, 2008). However, SRM actions may be perceived by consumers as not very credible or alienated with the brand, something that happens frequently, especially in SRM actions (Childs et al., 2019) in which complementary actions are not carried out, as in the case of marketing with a cause, which demonstrates the greater social impact of the brand.

Companies are increasingly focusing on new buyers, including a very special segment called Generation Y, namely the buyers who will account for the largest share of the global market by 2030 (Jamie et al., 2021). Moreover, consumers increasingly make purchasing decisions on the basis of their perceptions about a brand with respect to its SRM programmes, a particular factor among young millennials, who tend to support social causes and socially responsible companies.