How social media's cause-related marketing activity enhances consumer citizenship behavior: the mediating role of community identification

Abstract

Purpose

Limited research has explored why and how cause-related marketing on social media influences consumers' responses. Drawing upon balance theory and consistency theory, this study aims to identify the mechanism of cause-related marketing on social media.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from a sample of 360 users of cause-related marketing campaigns on social media and analyzed using structural equation modeling in Mplus 8.0.

Findings

The three types of congruence – self-image congruence, brand-image congruence and value congruence – can serve as sub-dimensions of perceived fit between a consumer, brand and cause of a cause-related marketing campaign on social media. Importantly, these perceived fit sub-dimensions positively influence community identification and, therefore, influence consumer citizenship behaviors.

Practical implications

The findings provide theoretical and practical contributions for a brand to undertake cause-related marketing on social media.

Originality/value

This study clarifies the myth of the perceived fit of cause-related marketing on social media and examines the perceived fit sub-dimensions’ mechanism of consumers' responses through community identification.

Citation

Deng, N., Jiang, X. and Fan, X. (2023), "How social media's cause-related marketing activity enhances consumer citizenship behavior: the mediating role of community identification", Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 38-60. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-01-2020-0014