Tangible Action or Pure Information? How <scp>CSR</scp> Message Framing and Brand–Cause Fit Influence Social Media Engagement

What the paper says

ABSTRACT In recent years, brands have increasingly leveraged social media to communicate corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, taking advantage of its broad reach and ability to foster consumer interaction. However, how the content of CSR messages—whether the brand engages in tangible actions or simply raises awareness through informational content—affects consumers' willingness to share such messages on social media remains underexplored, particularly in the context of brand–cause fit (i.e., how well the brand and the cause are perceived to align) and consumer attributions (i.e., whether the brand's motives are seen as positive—specifically, values‐driven and strategic). This study employed a 2 (CSR message type: informational vs. action‐oriented) × 2 (brand–cause fit: low vs. high) factorial design. Across two studies ( N = 390; Study 1: N = 193; Study 2: N = 197), results indicate that action‐oriented messages generate more favorable brand attitudes and greater sharing intentions in low‐fit scenarios, whereas informational messages are more effective in high‐fit contexts. Furthermore, inferences of positive motives mediate the effects of CSR message type and brand–cause fit on brand attitudes and sharing intentions. The influence of message type on positive motive perceptions varies by brand–cause fit and is further moderated by advertising skepticism. These findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for optimizing CSR messaging strategies on social media.