PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Jaywant Singh AU - Benedetta Crisafulli AU - La Toya Quamina TI - How Intensity of Cause-Related Marketing Guilt Appeals Influences Consumers AID - 10.2501/JAR-2018-049 DP - 2019 Jan 08 TA - Journal of Advertising Research PG - JAR-2018-049 4099 - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/early/2019/03/11/JAR-2018-049.short 4100 - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/early/2019/03/11/JAR-2018-049.full AB - When exposed to cause-related marketing advertisements that use guilt appeals, consumers actively try to interpret the motives behind the company's message and consequently accept (or resist) the persuasion attempt. This study demonstrates that high-emotional-intensity cause-related marketing advertisements create suspicion that the company truly might not be committed to the social cause. If the advertisement is low in emotional intensity, however, guilt appeals lower negative inferences and act as a stimulus to foster consumer identification and positive perceptions of corporate image.