Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Branding

Despite the Issue, I Believe the Brand Still Has Some Goodwill: The Role of Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Ability in Shaping Consumers’ Beliefs and Feelings about Beauty Brands’ Animal-Testing Crises

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Abstract

This research explores how brands navigate moral dilemma crises—situations where a brand’s actions either align with or deviate from societal norms, thus presenting unique challenges compared to traditional crises. It examines the roles of corporate ability (CA)and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in mitigating negative impacts during ethical ambiguities. The study reveals that CSR positively influences a brand’s inferred goodwill, thereby acting as a buffer against consumer regret. In contrast, an overemphasis on CA can reduce inferred goodwill, potentially increasing consumer regret. This effect is notably significant in cases of high brand self-connectedness, where consumers’ strong identification with a brand amplifies their sensitivity to CA’s influence on goodwill. This study contributes to understanding expectancy violations theory in moral dilemma crises, highlighting the importance of pre-crisis brand perceptions, especially in shaping consumer regret.

Keywords: corporate social responsibility, corporate ability, animal testing, beauty, brand crisis

How to Cite:

Jang, J., Kang, J. & Huan, C., (2024) “Despite the Issue, I Believe the Brand Still Has Some Goodwill: The Role of Corporate Responsibility and Corporate Ability in Shaping Consumers’ Beliefs and Feelings about Beauty Brands’ Animal-Testing Crises”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 80(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17406