(http://nbs.

net/)
HOME (HTTP://NBS.NET/) FRANCAIS (/FR/) PARTNERS (HTTP://NBS.NET/PARTNERS/) CONTACT US (HTTP://NBS.NET/CONTACT-US/) LEGAL (HTTP://NBS.NET/LEGAL/) SUBSCRIBE (HTTP://NBS.NET/COMMUNITY/SUBSCRIBE/)

Home (http://nbs.net) > Knowledge Centre (http://nbs.net/knowledge/) > Socially Conscious Consumerism (http://nbs.net/topic/consumer/consumerism/) > Are Luxury and CSR Compatible?

article
Are Luxury and CSR Compatible?
April 26, 2012 by NBS (http://nbs.net/member/admin/) A McKinsey survey showed that 76 percent of executives believe corporate social responsibility is critical to long-term share price and 55 percent report that it can boost a firms reputation. CSR also allows firms to differentiate themselves against competitors, which is an important competitive factor for brand firms. This means that CSR is good for business, right? Not necessarily. Carlos Torelli (University of Minnesota), Alokparna Basu Mona (University of South Carolina) and Andrew Kaikati (University of Georgia) asked whether CSR adds more value to some brands than others. Different brands have different meanings. These meanings allow consumers to identify with them. Luxury brands such as Rolex or Lexus are associated with the pursuit of perfection. Other brands such as iTunes are associated with openness. Similarly, consumers link brands like Aunt Jemima to tradition or conservation.

DOWNLOA D( S) Research Insight (http://nbs.net/w pcontent/uploads/RIAre-Luxury-and-CSRCom patible.pdf)

Torelli and his colleagues thought the meanings associated with some brands may conflict with the meanings associated with CSR reducing the worth consumers attribute to products. The pursuit of perfection that consumers associate with luxury brands might clash with the socially and environmentally conscious images associated with CSR. The researchers investigated this through four different studies using consumer panels and undergraduate students as participants. CSR and Luxury Brands Dont Go The researchers found that CSR information reduces the value consumers give to luxury brands associated with the pursuit of perfection, such as Rolex or Lexus leading to negative business outcomes. This reduction in value, however, did not occur for brands associated with openness (iTunes) or tradition (Aunt Jemima). In other words, CSR backfires for luxury brands, since it decreases the worth that consumers assign to these products.

... CSR information reduces the value consumers give to luxury brands ...

What this Means for Managers When determining and communicating CSR policies, CSR managers and brand managers of luxury firms need to carefully consider the messages associated with their brands. Not all luxury goods are associated with the pursuit of perfection but those that are should rethink their CSR strategies. Some tweaks to such luxury brands CSR approaches include: Differentiating the brand through factors other than CSR Attributing CSR activities to a more suitable sub-brand Priming consumers with images of powerful philanthropists, such as Bill Gates. This associates perfection and power with doing good and improving society and the environment. Every brand has the potential to benefit from CSR, be it through increased sales, increased consumer willingness to pay, stock price stability, recruitment of talent or lower turn-over. But like any strategic decision, it has to be consistent with the brand and valued by consumers. Future Research in this Area The negative short-term effects of CSR observed in this study need to be considered within a longer time frame. CSR efforts are more likely to pay off in the long term through loyalty or other effects. Thus future research should look at the long-term effects of CSR on luxury brands.

Source
Torelli, C.J., Monga, A.B., Kaikati, A.M. (2012). Doing Poorly by Doing Good: Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Concepts. Journal of Consumer Research, 38(5):948-963.

Summarized by
Thomas Long and the NBS team

Read related resources:

TOPIC(S): Socially Conscious Consumerism (http://nbs.net/topic/consumer/consumerism/) FUNCTION(S): Marketing (http://nbs.net/discipline/marketing/)

PUBLICATION: Research Insights (http://nbs.net/publications/research-insights/)

1 comment
Leave a message...

Best

Com m unity

Share

Ste p h Sh a rm a

a year ago

Thank you for your summary and keeping this part of an ongoing discussion as CSR evolves and grows. A couple of things specifically caught my attention and caused me to read the paper (Doing Poorly by Doing Good) as well as quickly research a couple of sites on the topic, for more information. First off, I don't often consider iTunes as "open" but instead consider it one of the paths to a more "closed" world upon which Apple has embarked. However, when I read the definition in the paper I see the researchers are not using the technology-based definition but are using a more culturalbased definition and from that perspective agree that iTunes has brought the world's music to any/all who seek it! Secondly, when I think of Lexus, I agree and do think about luxury and perfection, both defined by quality workmanship and salesmanship. However, I also think of Lexus as being on the leading edge and have known for many years of its hybrid focus and research for its high-end consumers who care about the earth. This is a growing market and is also challenging the political lines of sustainability. Potentially, this research could go further in the future to include the effects of generations on perceptions of brand and social responsibility. That may be a filter that makes the link between these two more compatible. My interest lies in how consumer spending (money) will drive innovation due to demand and the luxury group of consumers has money and influence to demand change, so hopefully we see a stronger link in the future! http://www.treehugger.com/cars... http://www.lexus.com/hybridliv...
0

Reply

Share

C o m m e n t fe e d

Su b s cri b e vi a e m a i l

Business. Thinking. Ahead.

Network for Business Sustainability Richard Ivey School of Business Western University 1151 Richmond Street London, Ontario, Canada N6A 3K7 519-661-2111, x88932
All information on this site is protected by 1999-2013 Network for Business Sustainability