The impact of strategic CSR marketing communications on customer engagement

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of strategic corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives that seek to enhance customer engagement, through different forms of positive word of mouth.

Design/methodology/approach: A total of 258 responses were collected from customers of mobile telephone service providers, and analysed using t-tests, ANOVA and structural equation modelling. The survey embedded a realistic press release, purporting to originate from the respondent’s service provider, communicating CSR information.

Findings: Mobile telephone users are largely indifferent to CSR communication activities but segments of the market respond differently. Customer-perceived community value of the strategic CSR initiative to the intended beneficiary of the activity was found to be an effective antecedent of customer engagement.

Research limitations/implications: Alternative modes of customer engagement have the potential to enhance customer discourse. Customer-perceived community value of the strategic initiative provides further explanatory power to the CSR–customer relationship.

Practical implications: Customer-perceived community value can be used as a planning tool for marketers to gauge the effectiveness of CSR advertising campaigns before launch. Managers can adapt their CSR communications message to better reflect customer concerns.

Social implications: NGOs that offer greater perceived community value can partner with companies more successfully.

Originality/value: A holistic CSR-centric approach to evaluate strategic CSR initiatives and determine their influence on alternative forms of customer engagement is novel.