Company-Cause-Customer: Interaction Architecture

There is a rapid increase in number of companies employing cause-related marketing to create a differentiation, further brand image and foster purchase intention. However, they are faced with a challenge to create a positive impact on customer’s perception of cause in reference to the company, positive impact to nurture customer’s innate moral obligation and minimising apprehension about company’s intention. This study identifies factors that influence customer’s perception and the inter-relations among them. This study identifies factors that influence customer’s perception using Grounded Theory approach, which are further examined for inter-linkages and using total interpretive structural modelling to develop a hierarchal model reflecting their relative order of impact. This study proposes a generic company-cause-customer interaction architecture that marketers can employ as a first step in designing their cause-marketing campaign. Findings indicate cause-centric variables like type of cause (e.g., environment etc.) and customer’s proximity to cause (local/national/global) as the most rooted factors in customer’s cognition. Hence, the companies should primarily focus on this factor while designing their cause marketing strategy. The research details out the interaction architecture of company-cause-customer. This study is beneficial for Brand Managers and Product Managers for developing decision tools in the area of cause branding. The interaction architecture digraph will be an important input for developing an integrated model for company, cause and customer.