The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumers' Promotional Behavior: Examining First-Person Effects and the Influence of Presumed Influence on Others

This study explores the influence of presumed impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) messages and first-person effects (FPE) on Delta Airlines' breast cancer awareness campaign. A model is developed to examine the psychological mechanisms linking CSR authenticity, issue involvement, and brand commitment to presumed influence on others, FPE, and their effects on promotional behavior. Analysis of 776 U.S. participants using structural equation modeling (SEM) shows that participants perceived the CSR campaign to have a stronger impact on others than on themselves, consistent with the third-person effect. Issue involvement, particularly personal connections to breast cancer, positively affected both presumed influence and FPE. CSR authenticity and brand commitment also significantly enhanced these effects. The results indicate that these antecedents were more strongly associated with FPE than presumed influence on others, and both influenced promotional behavior. These findings provide insights into developing CSR strategies that effectively engage the public.