How Public's Reception of Corporate Social Advocacy Moderates CSA's Effect on Brand Health
(A2025-126395)

AUTHORS

Ulrike Phieler, WU Vienna

ABSTRACT

Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA) is a complex challenge for companies taking a stance on charged socio-political issues. This study examines how public’s reception moderates the impact of CSA on brand health by analyzing 1,822,072 tweets from 87 U.S. companies. While initial results imply CSA alone reduces brand health by -2.3%, public's reception alters this effect. Surprisingly, increased public attention can amplify brand health by +99%, while additionally considering the interplay with public’s emotional reception reduces brand health by up to -535%. Employing a panel regression with tweets, their engagement volume and valence, and YouGov’s brand health, findings reveal a "sweet spot" in public’s engagement with CSA. Managers cannot simply engage in social advocacy; to keep brand health they must monitor the interplay of engagement volume and valence on CSA outcomes. The study provides insights into the balancing act of strategic purpose communication without damaging brand health.