Social marketing through (S)CSR initiatives implemented by football clubs and their impact on communities

Abstract

Currently, organizations must be aware not only of the signals that come from shareholders but also of those from the stakeholders that are part of their business environment, which claim for engagement with corporate social responsibility supported by social marketing to address diverse social matters effectively. The football industry is not indifferent to this challenge, especially if considered its unique social role in the communities it reaches. As a sport, football has been commonly accepted as a powerful vehicle to promote education, health, social equity, sustainable awareness, and cultural understanding and integration. This article consists of a literature review on this topic, aiming to understand better the marketing role of football clubs’ corporate social responsibility initiatives and the extent to which they impact the communities they engage with.