PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Tyler Milfeld
AU  - Eric Haley
TI  - Purpose Advertising And the Credibility Gap
AID  - 10.2501/JAR-2023-021
DP  - 2024 Mar 01
TA  - Journal of Advertising Research
PG  - 59--79
VI  - 64
IP  - 1
4099  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/64/1/59.short
4100  - http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/64/1/59.full
SO  - J Advert Res2024 Mar 01; 64
AB  - One approach to purpose advertising is brand activism—taking a stand on a sociopolitical issue. This research compares divergent perspectives on whether and how brand activism influences brand attitudes and purchase intentions. Results from three studies, in which real-world brands and messages were used, identify a credibility gap between brands with a reputation for activism (established activist brands) and those without a reputation (emergent activist brands). Findings also reveal how personal issue knowledge moderates the credibility gap. Among other contributions, this research creates a new brand typology in the brand activism arena and empirically demonstrates a more favorable effect for established (versus emergent) activist brands when taking a stand.