AN ATTRIBUTION THEORY APPROACH TO BRANDS' ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA CSR EFFORTS

Brands often use social media platforms to promote their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs, what can even potentially evoke external CSR attributions, but what is the case if the proposed initiative is exactly to quit social media, in defense of mental health? Is purchase intention higher when consumers are still able to engage with brands online or when the exact opposite happens, with brands’ decisions to disconnect? Through the lenses of Attribution Theory, the present study employed an experimental study to test consumers’ intrinsic and extrinsic motive attributions, brand attitude, purchase intention and perceived message effectiveness upon a fictional brand’s anti-social media initiative. Three conditions varying in message-practice consistency and time consistency (Uniform-long, Uniform-short and Washing) were employed. Results indicate that consumers attribute intrinsic motives when consistency is present, which, in turn, leads to more favorable evaluations. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.