Examining the impact of corporate social advocacy (CSA) issue ownership and message content on authenticity perceptions and behavioral intentions

Purpose: As companies continue to engage in CSA, they continue to struggle with determining what issues they should speak out about and how they can create compelling messages that inspire action. Guided by arguments from issue ownership theory, this study examines CSA message content effects related to two different social-political issues on advocacy behavioral intentions, megaphoning, brand preference and purchase intention. Specifically, the level of advocacy in a CSA message is examined, as well as the manner in which the message is written (narrative vs informational). Furthermore, this study examines the role of perceived authenticity and its impact on an individual’s supportive intentions. Design/methodology/approach: This study conducts a 2 (issue: abortion rights vs gun violence) × 2 (level of advocacy: call-to-action (CTA) vs no call-to-action) × 2 (message type: narrative vs informational) between-subjects online experiment using a Qualtrics panel (N = 529) to examine the impact of CSA message features on individuals’ supportive intentions toward the brand. Findings: Results indicate a significant interaction effect of issue by advocacy level on advocating behavioral intentions, megaphoning, brand preference and purchase intention, highlighting that companies should advocate more explicitly about some issues than others. The interaction effects of issue type × level of advocacy were completely and significantly mediated by perceived authenticity. Mediation paths revealed that a CTA with the gun violence issue had a significant positive effect on perceived authenticity, whereas a CTA with the abortion rights issue produced a significant negative effect on perceived authenticity. Originality/value: This study makes a contribution to a growing body of CSA literature through its examination of CSA message content, which has been understudied in this context. The study findings reveal new insights regarding the interplay between issue type and level of advocacy, highlighting the importance of companies selecting issues carefully and tailoring message content appropriately to have the most impact on message receivers.