Selective brand activism: when brands lend sociopolitical issues inconsistent support

Purpose The impact of brand activism is gaining interest in consumer research and managerial practice. However, the consequences of brands being inconsistent in their support toward social issues remain unexplored. This paper aims to address this gap by examining the influence of an inconsistent activist approach – Selective Brand Activism – on consumers’ perceptual and behavioral responses. Design/methodology/approach Three experiment-based studies were conducted using both real and fictitious brands to replicate and generalize the findings. Findings The results provide support for the notion that selective brand activism engagement enhances consumers’ perceptions of brand hypocrisy, subsequently influencing their attitudes negatively. Yet, when consumers are egocentrically driven (i.e. more self-focus motivated), these effects are significantly lower, given that consumers with higher self-focus believe it is justified for brands to prioritize their actions based on their self-interest. Originality/value This study demonstrates that akin to individuals such as political leaders or organizations whose inconsistent moral stance is seen as hypocritical, brands engaging in selective brand activism also generate the same effect.