“I know the brand is better than that”: brand trust and consumer-brand identification evoking brand forgiveness after CSR-related wrongdoings

Purpose - This paper empirically tested the relationships between brand trust, consumer-brand identification and attributions (internal and external) in evoking brand forgiveness after being exposed to communications about corporate social responsibility (CSR)-related wrongdoings. Design/methodology/approach - This study conducted an online experiment with the U.S. national population (n= 620). The data was collected following quota sampling based on age and gender. Findings - Conducting a structural equation modeling, this paper found that brand trust positively influenced both external and internal attributions of CSR-related wrongdoing, which in turn evoked brand forgiveness. A multivariate analysis of variance indicated that both external and internal attributions were higher when both consumer-brand identification and brand trust were high compared to when both consumer-brand identification and brand trust were low. Research limitations/implications - The sample pool is only located within the USA, limiting the generalizability of the findings. In addition, confounding effects may have impacted the results, particularly stemming from including familiar brand names. Furthermore, conducting an online experiment introduces inherent limitations, such as potential issues with participant engagement and control over experimental conditions. Practical implications - Brands engaged in CSR activities should focus on building brand trust and ways to resonate with consumers. This can mitigate negative consumer responses and evoke brand forgiveness when consumers are exposed to communications about CSR-related wrongdoings. Social implications - Brands engaged in CSR activities should communicate the underlying good intentions in their altruistic activities rather than focusing only on the activities that they are engaged in. While responding to communications related to CSR-related wrongdoings, brands should emphasize the external factors that may have led to those negative outcomes while acknowledging internal factors that they would address in avoiding future wrongdoings. Originality/value - Both internal and external attributions of CSR-related wrongdoings can transfer the positive influence of brand trust in begetting brand forgiveness.