This study investigates the value of cause-related marketing (CRM) campaigns in consumer relationship management. Specifically, following the tenets of persuasion knowledge model and equity theory, this study proposes that the effect of consumers' inferences of companies' manipulative intent (IMI) in CRM campaigns on consumer–brand communal relationships is contingent on consumers' knowledge about the degree to which the companies and the social cause benefit from the campaigns. A panel of 506 U.S. consumers was recruited to complete an online survey. Results reveal that when consumers believe that nonprofit partners benefit more from a CRM campaign than the company does, IMI positively affects consumer–brand communal relationships. However, when consumers perceive greater corporate benefits than social benefits, IMI negatively affects consumer–brand communal relationships. These results present a convincing case that in order to cultivate a long-term communal relationship with consumers, companies should promote their CRM programs by highlighting these programs' social benefits and impact. If such programs are considered to yield more corporate benefits, companies should make efforts to mitigate the negative impact that IMI may bring to consumer–brand communal relationships. This study also advances our existing understanding of communal relationships and CRM by unveiling how CRM-related factors collectively influence corporate building of a long-term communal relationship with consumers. We hope to inspire future researchers who are interested in bridging CRM and communal relationship literature to inform effective CRM practice.

中文翻译：

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通过因果营销建立消费者公共关系：从说服知识的角度

本研究调查了因果相关营销 (CRM) 活动在消费者关系管理中的价值。具体而言，根据说服知识模型和公平理论的原则，本研究提出，消费者对 CRM 活动中公司操纵意图 (IMI) 的推断对消费者-品牌公共关系的影响取决于消费者对说服程度的了解。公司和社会事业从这些活动中受益。招募了一个由 506 名美国消费者组成的小组来完成一项在线调查。结果表明，当消费者认为非营利合作伙伴从 CRM 活动中获益比公司多时，IMI 会对消费者-品牌的公共关系产生积极影响。然而，当消费者认为企业利益大于社会利益时，IMI 对消费者与品牌的公共关系产生负面影响。这些结果提供了一个令人信服的案例，即为了与消费者建立长期的公共关系，公司应该通过突出这些项目的社会效益和影响来推广他们的 CRM 项目。如果此类计划被认为会产生更多的企业利益，则企业应努力减轻 IMI 可能给消费者-品牌公共关系带来的负面影响。本研究还通过揭示 CRM 相关因素如何共同影响企业与消费者建立长期公共关系的方式，推进了我们对公共关系和 CRM 的现有理解。我们希望激励未来对连接 CRM 和公共关系文献感兴趣的研究人员为有效的 CRM 实践提供信息。