How much can Saudi corporations benefit from cause-related marketing? Insights from exploring the charitable incentives of Saudi consumers
Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research
ISSN: 1759-0817
Article publication date: 16 May 2022
Issue publication date: 4 August 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explain the impact of donations to a charity, company-cause fitting, corporate reputation, corporate philanthropic involvement and message content on Saudi consumers who purchase products that are promoted using cause-related marketing (CrM) campaigns.
Design/methodology/approach
Structural equation modelling partial least square is used to analyse the responses of 293 Saudi respondents.
Findings
Using Smart-PLS, the results show that donation size is positively related to the Saudi consumer’s purchase intention. However, differences in the donation amount did not affect the purchase intention. Regardless of the cause that motivates firms to donate money to philanthropic organisations, Saudi customers do not generally pay attention to the company-cause fit association. Retail corporate reputation, corporate philanthropic involvement and message content positively influence the purchase of products sold using CrM campaigns. This study explores the psychological and social attitudes Saudi customers demonstrate towards CrM campaigns. Regardless of corporation motives, Saudi customers care about charitable deeds. Moreover, positive message framing is effective when the content is emotive, comprehensive and persuasive.
Originality/value
This study explores the psychological and social attitudes Saudi customers pay towards CrM campaigns. The message content relied significantly upon the cause fit and the magnitude of the donated money. Marketing research would benefit from investigating the role of applying efficient persuasive tactics to convey and frame public messages.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author expresses his gratitude to the anonymous reviewers for their sage advice and useful comments on earlier drafts of this manuscript.
Funding sources: The author certifies that he has no affiliations with or involvement in any organisation or entity with any financial interest or non-financial interest in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.
Citation
Al-Fayad, F. (2022), "How much can Saudi corporations benefit from cause-related marketing? Insights from exploring the charitable incentives of Saudi consumers", Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, Vol. 13 No. 7, pp. 1038-1058. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-03-2021-0093
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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