The CSR Green Halo Effect on the Corporate-Public Communication: An Experimental Study

• In Event: ICA Plenary Interactive Paper/Poster Session II
  In Interactive Paper Session: Environmental Communication Interactive Poster Session

Abstract

Consumers may not be happy with the intrusive ads that they are forced to be exposed to. However, their exposure to a company’s environmental CSR activity sometimes compensates their aversion with the ads, and even makes them more tolerant of being annoyed. Through a controlled experimental design, this study examines the impacts of support for environmental CSR activities on ad avoidance and consequently on brand evaluation. We found that, the impact of a company’s environmental CSR activity may not help boost the company’s popularity among the consumers, but it certainly can help the company be less averted. The CSR green halo effect therefore has great implication for corporate-public communications, especially during time of crisis.

Authors

• Dong Dong, Hong Kong Baptist U

• Hao-Chieh Chang, Hong Kong Baptist U

• Tianjiao Wang, City University of Hong Kong