Content uploaded by Steffen Böhm
Author content
All content in this area was uploaded by Steffen Böhm on Jun 14, 2014
Content may be subject to copyright.
A preview of the PDF is not available
'1L=10L for Africa': Corporate social responsibility and the transformation of bottled water into a 'consumer activist' commodity
Abstract and Figures
In recent years, it has become an increasingly common marketing practice to connect the sale of consumer products to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, such as aid and development projects in so-called ‘developing’ countries. One example is Volvic’s pioneering ‘1L=10L for Africa’ campaign (2005–2010), which linked the sale of each liter of bottled water in ‘developed’ countries with the promise by Danone, Volvic’s owner, to provide 10 liters of drinking water in Africa. In this article, we engage with this ‘cause-related marketing’ campaign, using critical discourse analysis (CDA) to uncover its mechanisms and ideological functioning. We show how Volvic was able to transform an ordinary commodity, bottled water, into a consumer activist brand through which consumers could take part in solving global social problems, such as the access to safe drinking water in ‘developing’ countries. Our analysis of this exemplary case shows the ways that CSR often operates to deflect ethical critiques, consolidate brand loyalty and corporate profits, and defuse political struggles around consumption. By doing so, we suggest that CSR forms part of a complex strategy deployed to legitimize particular brands and commodities. In this way CSR can be seen as playing an important role in the ideological makeup of contemporary consumer capitalism.
Figures - uploaded by Steffen Böhm
Author content
All figure content in this area was uploaded by Steffen Böhm
Content may be subject to copyright.
... Consumers may hesitate to associate with a brand if it becomes mired in controversy due to protests or boycotts, leading to detrimental long-term effects on customer loyalty and trust (Ali 2021). This reluctance can manifest as decreased brand loyalty, particularly when boycotts are driven by ethical concerns or dissatisfaction with the brand's actions (Brei and Böhm 2014). Negative publicity from such consumer activism exacerbates the situation by aligning consumer values against the brand's practices, thereby eroding loyalty (Ltifi 2021). ...
... Commodity activism refers to the social activism that aims to make the world a better place via consumerism by changing consumption habits about a commodity to make a statement or bring about a different social order (Brei and Böhm 2014;Kuehn 2017;Wallis and Shen 2018). ...
... The visibility of these boycotts and how closely a brand's actions align with consumer values are critical in shaping brand loyalty amidst consumer activism (Weiss et al. 2023). Brands that respond effectively to issues important to their consumers can reinforce loyalty by demonstrating alignment with their values (Brei and Böhm 2014;Kuehn 2017). ...
Consumers are increasingly taking up activism to modify, or at the very least, penalize a company's contentious behavior. This paper presents a systematic literature review of 404 studies on consumer activism published between 1975 and 2023, applying the extended stimulus-organism-response-outcomes (S-O-R-Om) framework. It investigates the underlying causes and significant outcomes of consumer activism. The results reveal how various factors such as political conditions, human rights violations, environmental degradation, religion, and consumer disregard stimulate internal evaluations of perceptual, physical, emotional, and philosophical activities in people. These evaluations often prompt consumers to respond via boycotts, anti-brand activism, commodity activism, and even buycotts, all of which have varying consequences for different stakeholders. The findings suggest that consumer activism can serve as a powerful tool for societal change, shaping brand strategies and influencing business practices. These insights underscore the necessity for businesses to align their operations with the evolving values and expectations of their consumer base, emphasizing the critical role of ethics in consumer-brand relationships. This research contributes to the understanding of modern consumer behavior by providing the Consumer Activism framework, which is based on the S-O-R-Om framework. This comprehensive exploration provides valuable insights into the mechanisms driving consumer activism and its significant implications for brand management and consumer behavior research. The study also identifies key research gaps in existing literature and offers a detailed set of recommendations to guide future research on the evolving dynamics of consumer activism.
... In connection to this finding, previous researchers argued that product price is a fundamental factors of consumer choice, particularly in price-sensitive markets like Ethiopia. Lower prices often attract budget-conscious consumers, while higher prices might signal premium quality or exclusivity (Brei & Böhm, 2013). However, the relationship between price and brand choice is not always straightforward. ...
This study investigates the factors influencing consumers' bottled water brand choice in Ethiopia using an explanatory research design and a quantitative research approach. Data were collected from 384 bottled water consumers through questionnaires, and multiple linear regression was employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that product quality, price, alternative attractiveness, and brand awareness significantly influence brand choice, with product quality and brand awareness emerging as the most critical factors. Consumers tend to prefer brands that consistently deliver high-quality water, highlighting the importance of stringent quality assurance programs, adherence to industry certifications, and transparent marketing strategies that reinforce trust in the product. Additionally, competitive pricing plays a vital role, suggesting that companies should align their pricing strategies with the perceived value of their products to appeal to price-sensitive customers without compromising quality. Alternative attractiveness also influences consumer decisions, implying that brands must differentiate themselves effectively through unique value propositions. Moreover, brand awareness is a key factor, necessitating targeted marketing efforts that enhance visibility, recall, and consumer loyalty. Therefore, water bottle companies should invest in promotional campaigns that emphasize both quality and affordability while ensuring consistent messaging across various communication channels.
... In connection to this finding, previous researchers argued that product price is a fundamental factors of consumer choice, particularly in price-sensitive markets like Ethiopia. Lower prices often attract budget-conscious consumers, while higher prices might signal premium quality or exclusivity (Brei & Böhm, 2013). However, the relationship between price and brand choice is not always straightforward. ...
This study investigates the factors influencing consumers' bottled water brand choice in Ethiopia using an explanatory research design and a quantitative research approach. Data were collected from 384 bottled water consumers through questionnaires, and multiple linear regression was employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that product quality, price, alternative attractiveness, and brand awareness significantly influence brand choice, with product quality and brand awareness emerging as the most critical factors. Consumers tend to prefer brands that consistently deliver high-quality water, highlighting the importance of stringent quality assurance programs, adherence to industry certifications, and transparent marketing strategies that reinforce trust in the product. Additionally, competitive pricing plays a vital role, suggesting that companies should align their pricing strategies with the perceived value of their products to appeal to price-sensitive customers without compromising quality. Alternative attractiveness also influences consumer decisions, implying that brands must differentiate themselves effectively through unique value propositions. Moreover, brand awareness is a key factor, necessitating targeted marketing efforts that enhance visibility, recall, and consumer loyalty. Therefore, water bottle companies should invest in promotional campaigns that emphasize both quality and affordability while ensuring consistent messaging across various communication channels.
... In connection to this finding, previous researchers argued that product price is a fundamental factors of consumer choice, particularly in price-sensitive markets like Ethiopia. Lower prices often attract budget-conscious consumers, while higher prices might signal premium quality or exclusivity (Brei & Böhm, 2013). However, the relationship between price and brand choice is not always straightforward. ...
This study investigates the factors influencing consumers' bottled water brand choice in Ethiopia using an explanatory research design and a quantitative research approach. Data were collected from 384 bottled water consumers through questionnaires, and multiple linear regression was employed for data analysis. The findings indicate that product quality, price, alternative attractiveness, and brand awareness significantly influence brand choice, with product quality and brand awareness emerging as the most critical factors. Consumers tend to prefer brands that consistently deliver high-quality water, highlighting the importance of stringent quality assurance programs, adherence to industry certifications, and transparent marketing strategies that reinforce trust in the product. Additionally, competitive pricing plays a vital role, suggesting that companies should align their pricing strategies with the perceived value of their products to appeal to price-sensitive customers without compromising quality. Alternative attractiveness also influences consumer decisions, implying that brands must differentiate themselves effectively through unique value propositions. Moreover, brand awareness is a key factor, necessitating targeted marketing efforts that enhance visibility, recall, and consumer loyalty. Therefore, water bottle companies should invest in promotional campaigns that emphasize both quality and affordability while ensuring consistent messaging across various communication channels.
The goal of our research is to identify significant characteristics of green finance and research gaps based on a thorough review of the literature. The content analysis approach is used in this study, which evaluates and summarises key past studies in the topic of green finance. This study evaluates existing research on green finance in the banking industry, with an emphasis on green financing and sustainable development. The period of study the is from August 2022 - January 2023. The sample for study includes 125 respondents. The outcomes of this study shed light on critical aspects of green finance. Green securities, green investments, climate financing, green insurance, green credit, green bonds, and green infrastructure are the key green finance products.
Introduction: The low awareness of clean living made a company, through one of its product brands, initiate a social program through a donation campaign to improve sanitation and poor quality of health in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT— Nusa Tenggara Timur ), Indonesia. An advertisement was then aired frequently in national media to support the campaign. However, this advertisement was protested by the people who represent NTT citizens. Methodology: Employing Karatani's (2003) representation theory and Schiappa's (2008) concept of representational correctness with a discourse analysis approach, the research critically analyzes the politics and problems associated with Lifebuoy's social campaigns that sparked protests and denials from various NTT community groups. Results: This study found that the landscaping of the representation problems of the advertisement included the problems of 'speak about' and 'speak for.' Also, the power of prejudice or racial stereotypes of eastern Indonesian people was permanently attached to poverty and underdevelopment. Discussion: The protest(ers) representation was also problematic and political. There were numerous struggles of agenda and identity politics among protesters. Therefore, Lifebuoy's social campaign did not only serve as the object of protest but at the same time also criticized the protesters. Conclusions: This study contributes essential lessons for brands about the urgency of mapping and reading political voices in the field when a social program is launched and implemented so that various obstacles are well anticipated.
This study examined the influence of previous corporate social responsibility activities on attitude towards the company. The study adopted an experimental method, with a 3x2 factorial design, in which the first treatment condition was grouped into three, which include; control, diversity group and eco-friendly group. Participants in the first treatment condition were given positive information about the company CSR. Furthermore, the second treatment condition was divided into two; non-diversity and non-eco-friendly groups, participants were given negative information about the company’s CSR. The result gotten from the experimental study, shows that prior positive knowledge about company’s CSR has a significant effect on the attitude towards the company {F(2, 299) = 6.27, p = .002}, compared to prior negative knowledge about company’s CSR {F(2, 299) = 0.13, p = .878}, which is not significant. Individually, the result analysis reveals that both diversity group (M = 5.37, SD = 1.00) , 95% C.l. = [ .5.17, 5.56] and the eco-friendly group (M = 5.32, SD = 90) , 95% C.l. = [ .5.15, 5.50] that received positive information about the company’s CSR are significant on attitude towards the company compared to non-diversity (M = 5.18, SD = .98), 95% C.l. = [ 5.02, 5.33] and non-eco-friendly group (M = 5.24, SD = .97), 95% C.l. = [ 5.08, 5.39], which are insignificant in influencing attitude towards the company. Therefore, companies should endeavour to prioritize their CSR activities in order to get positive reviews and actions from customers and potential clients.
Digitalization brings with it new social and governance issues and heightened responsibility, particularly for corporations. In recent years, society has demanded more transparency from companies about digital technology practices, oversight, and impacts. One sector that sharpens the view on these dynamics is information and communication technology (ICT). This study introduces for the first time an examination of corporate social responsibility (CSR) discourse on digital issues among large ICT firms by using signaling theory to analyze a broad set of media (sustainability, ESG, CSR, integrated, impact, purpose, consolidated management, and annual reports as well as issue briefs and webpages). It clarifies how ICT firms present materiality—a reporting concept associated with fair representation and relevance of information—in their CSR reporting on digital topics. It then discusses implications for greenwashing and makes recommendations for improving disclosure credibility.
Graphical Abstract
This paper offers an integrative conceptual framework to posit brand activism (BA) as an organisation-driven phenomenon pertaining to the strategic marketing field. It is reasoned that, despite the growing managerial relevance of the phenomenon, BA still lacks a robust theoretical body, resulting in inconsistencies and ambiguities, in particular when it is explored from the firm perspective. Considering that BA is usually related to and confounded with other similar activisms, especially from the consumer perspective, we propose an integrative framework to synthesise the existing knowledge and explain how BA can be evidenced as a marketing strategy aiming to build specific ties with society that can evolve into a firm’s relational resource. Applying the Antecedents, Decisions, and Outcomes framework to conduct a systematic literature review, we propose a framework that contributes to the extant literature by organising the knowledge on BA and clarifying the concept and the variables related to it. By doing so, we offer new research avenues, that will lead to further refinement and consensus on certain issues regarding BA, delineate the phenomenon in the marketing strategy field, as well as provide insights to managers in their decision-making process.
Both practitioners and academics understand that consumer loyalty and satisfaction are linked inextricably. They also understand that this relation is asymmetric. Although loyal consumers are most typically satisfied, satisfaction does not universally translate into loyalty. To explain the satisfaction–loyalty conundrum, the author investigates what aspect of the consumer satisfaction response has implications for loyalty and what portion of the loyalty response is due to this satisfaction component. The analysis concludes that satisfaction is a necessary step in loyalty formation but becomes less significant as loyalty begins to set through other mechanisms. These mechanisms, omitted from consideration in current models, include the roles of personal determinism (“fortitude”) and social bonding at the institutional and personal level. When these additional factors are brought into account, ultimate loyalty emerges as a combination of perceived product superiority, personal fortitude, social bonding, and their synergistic effects. As each fails to be attained or is unattainable by individual firms that serve consumer markets, the potential for loyalty erodes. A disquieting conclusion from this analysis is that loyalty cannot be achieved or pursued as a reasonable goal by many providers because of the nature of the product category or consumer disinterest. For some firms, satisfaction is the only feasible goal for which they should strive; thus, satisfaction remains a worthy pursuit among the consumer marketing community. The disparity between the pursuit of satisfaction versus loyalty, as well as the fundamental content of the loyalty response, poses several investigative directions for the next wave of postconsumption research.
Neoliberalism--the doctrine that market exchange is an ethic in itself, capable of acting as a guide for all human action--has become dominant in both thought and practice throughout much of the world since 1970 or so. Writing for a wide audience, David Harvey, author of The New Imperialism and The Condition of Postmodernity, here tells the political-economic story of where neoliberalization came from and how it proliferated on the world stage. Through critical engagement with this history, he constructs a framework, not only for analyzing the political and economic dangers that now surround us, but also for assessing the prospects for the more socially just alternatives being advocated by many oppositional movements.
Should business strive to be socially responsible, and if so, how? The Debate over Corporate Social Responsibility updates and broadens the discussion of these questions by bringing together in one volume a variety of practical and theoretical perspectives on corporate social responsibility. It is perhaps the single most comprehensive volume available on the question of just how "social" business ought to be. The volume includes contributions from the fields of communication, business, law, sociology, political science, economics, accounting, and environmental studies. Moreover, it draws from experiences and examples from around the world, including but not limited to recent corporate scandals and controversies in the U.S. and Europe. A number of the chapters examine closely the basic assumptions underlying the philosophy of socially responsible business. Other chapters speak to the practical challenges and possibilities for corporate social responsiblilty in the twenty-first century. One of the most distinctive features of the book is its coverage of the very ways that the issue of corporate social responsibility has been defined, shaped, and discussed in the past four decades. That is, the editors and many of the authors are attuned to the persuasive strategies and formulations used to talk about socially responsible business, and demonstrate why the talk matters. For example, the book offers a careful analysis of how certain values have become associated with the business enterprise and how particular economic and political positions have been established by and for business. This book will be of great interest to scholars, business leaders, graduate students, and others interested in the contours of the debate over what role large-scale corporate commerce should take in the future of the industrialized world.
The authors have conducted extensive research into the role of business in public life. This book takes a practice-oriented look at corporate citizenship, and uses real, behind the scenes examples from well-known companies to show that for many firms social responsibility is becoming more integrated into corporate strategy. © Bradley K. Googins, Philip H. Mirvis, and Steven A. Rochlin, 2007. All rights reserved.