The effect of CSR motives on brand attitude among Generation Z in Vietnam: A comparative analysis of cause-related marketing and corporate philanthropy

Abstract

The public will pay more attention to concerns surrounding corporate social responsibility as the economy and society progress and become more civilized. Brand will boost its reputation and draw in more potential customers if they practice good social responsibility initiatives. Even if it increases profits, corporate social responsibility is frequently viewed with skepticism from the public. Customers will stop trusting a company if social efforts do not truly align with its operational objectives and do not demonstrate its worth. There are currently very few studies that delve into the reasons for skepticism about corporate social responsibility and its impact on organizations. Gen Z is now seen as a generation that has a significant impact on empathy, social concern, and constructive cultural and social integration. This generation's awareness of corporate social responsibility is therefore becoming more and more obvious. Research on the effects of CSR motives on brand attitude among Gen Z in Vietnam are quite rare. Therefore, it is important to conduct research and analysis on how each type of CSR motive will affect the brand attitude in the perception of Generation Z in Vietnam today. This study utilized quantitative approaches by conducting two separate studies, one of which uses an experiment method, and the other uses a Survey method. For each of the studies, a sample equivalence test is conducted for CRM and CP samples. For experiment sampling, the authors directly collected data by dividing into 2 groups in FPT University. We received 708 respondents, of which 356 submitted forms to view advertising containing CRM messages and 352 submitted forms to view ads containing CP messages. Besides, the total sample collected in a Survey through online groups of gen Z was 331 respondents, of which 162 respondents filled out a form containing CRM messages, 169 people filled out a form to view advertisements containing CP messages. After collecting the data, a set of independent t-tests is used to contrast the mean of CSR motives, perceived authenticity, and brand attitude between the two samples. Besides, we use the structural equation modeling method with the application of SMART-PLS software. According to the findings of two research, consumers' attributes are crucial in determining how true their CSR motivations are. Moreover, research results have proven most of the hypotheses, and at the same time, the potential for diverse combinations between different models in modern marketing. The marketers will be suggested some ideas to choose their social activities wisely, foster customer trust, and enhance consumers' favorable sentiments toward businesses through the research.