Cause Related Marketing: Understanding Celebrity, Consumer, and Product Fit Relationships

Abstract

The use of celebrity product endorsers in charitable cause marketing campaigns is increasing as charitable causes seek to establish market share among for-profit alternatives. Cause related marketing (CRM) studies show consumers (CONSR) give greater attention and financial support to campaigns when they perceive fit among the celebrities (CE), the endorsed charitable causes (ECC), and the endorsed products (EP). Previous CRM studies have considered these individual fit relationships but have not examined the holistic effects of fit between (a) CONSR-CE; (b) CONSR-ECC; (c) CONSR-EP; (d) CE-ECC; and (e) CE-EP on the success of CRM campaigns. This study proposed a conceptual model to explain how these relationships influence consumer attitudes and purchase intentions for Celebrity Endorsed Charitable Cause Products (CECCP).