Brand Activism in the Digital Era: A Case Study on Ben & Jerry's brand

Abstract

Consumers, especially the youngest ones, expect brands to be more involved in activist causes. This has led to brand activism, where brands felt the need to take a stand on any cause, whether social, political, or environmental. With this, brands have gotten great power that, if used correctly, can change society. For that reason, they need to be authentic regarding the causes and practices defended. This study aims to understand authentic brand activism's impact on several marketing dimensions, such as brand image, brand loyalty, and consumerbrand identification. To answer the research question, an online survey was conducted, in which Ben & Jerry's was the brand chosen due to its long history of activism. In the survey, different activism campaigns from the brand were shown to be assessed by the respondents. With 237 participants, the results showed that authentic brand activism positively affects brand image and consumer-brand identification. Regarding brand loyalty, authentic brand activism has an indirect effect through consumer-brand identification. This study adds important insights to brands concerning the consequences of authentic brand activism.