Brand Activism: Tri-dimensional Brand Legitimacy's Impact on the Consumer-Brand Relationship

This study explores how brand legitimacy influences the consumer-brand relationship within the context of brand activism campaigns. Prior research suggests that consumers align with brands that reflect their values and political orientations. Still, gaps remain in understanding how brand legitimacy—encompassing moral, pragmatic, and cognitive dimensions—affects this relationship, under varying levels of controversy. Grounded in congruence theory, the research examines (1) how the multidimensional nature of brand legitimacy impacts consumer evaluations and (2) how factors such as self-congruity, social involvement, and consumer-cause engagement mediate or moderate these effects. Two experiments with 1,200 US-based participants and real brand stimuli focused on brand activism campaigns against social discrimination. Findings reveal that brand legitimacy positively influences the consumer-brand relationship. Pragmatic legitimacy drives purchase intentions and willingness to pay a premium, while moral legitimacy fosters consumer-brand engagement. Self-congruity and consumer-cause involvement act as mediators, whereas controversy moderates brand trust. These insights suggest that strategically navigating brand legitimacy dimensions and congruence levels can yield long-term benefits for brands engaging in activism.