Effects of social cause advertising on brand perception: a case from fem by Dabur

Abstract

Today’s consumer is more socially conscious than before and social media serves as a platform for them to air their concerns over any brand communication that they dislike. Although brands are increasingly incorporating topics of social relevance in their communication, they leave themselves much more vulnerable to scrutiny that can impact their perception of brands, which is what this study aims to measure and analyse through the case of beauty brand Fem’s controversial Karwachauth campaign ‘Glow with Pride.’ This study deploys content analysis to understand Fem’s brand positioning over the years, a brand perception survey to rate the brand, campaign, and cause on dimensions of brand equity, and a social media analysis to understand consumer sentiments online. There is a clear effect of both dimensions on brand perception. It is thus important to have a holistic view of brand image and consumer ideologies to release successful social cause advertising campaigns.