THE ROLE OF THE RETAILERS IN CAUSE-RELATED MARKETING: A REFERENCE TO THE SPANISH CASE

Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) is one of the most relevant Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives nowadays. Its most important characteristic is that corporate donation is conditioned by sales, that is, CRM ultimately depends on consumer behavior. In this paper, we focus on CRM programs and its application in a specific industry: distribution sector. Thus, our aim is to understand the fundamental features or the practice of these programs in the distribution sector in Spain, to study the role played by retailers and their possible influence on the consumer behavior, so that companies can better design these campaigns and achieve greater success. Hence, the paper is organized as follows. First, we review the CRM conceptual framework in which the theoretical development of this work is based. Secondly, and from a list of companies associated to the National Association of Large Distribution Companies (ANGED), the most representative retail association in Spain, we observe the Spanish situation and analyze the main campaigns carried out by these retailers during the last years. This information was completed consulting each retailer´s website, asking them for additional information by email, and with a general internet search. After that, we present and discuss the main results, and summarize the most relevant conclusions, as well as the theoretical contribution and managerial implications. One of the most important findings shows the retailer´s influence on consumer behavior and the key role of the retailers in the success of CRM programs. Finally, we also include possible limitations and further research.</p

Valuation of the significance of the designation of origin from the company point of view

El consumidor es cada vez más exigente y esto ha contribuido a que la calidad de los productos haya cobrado mucha fuerza en la última década. Este atributo adquiere un valor añadido en el mercado agroalimentario, pues la calidad alimentaria tiene un fuerte impacto social y sanitario. Los diferentes problemas surgidos con estos productos (aceite de colza, vacas locas, peste porcina, etc.), han supuesto un duro golpe para el comercio exterior e interior de la agricultura y ganadería europeas. Se han adoptado diferentes medidas y la búsqueda de la calidad acompañada de factores intrínsecamente asociados a la agricultura, como son tradición, tipicidad y origen, ha sido una de las opciones más importantes. El conjunto de estos factores se han plasmado en sistemas de protección de la calidad alimentaria como son las Denominaciones de Origen e Indicaciones Geográficas como marcas comerciales de amplio uso en este sector económico. La creación y el desarrollo de las denominaciones de origen en España vienen siendo progresivos y continuos desde hace más de una década. Aunque los productores y empresarios se han adaptado a estas nuevas formas de protección, poco se conoce acerca de su opinión y su punto de vista durante el proceso de implantación. En el presente estudio hemos analizado la importancia e influencia de la denominación de origen desde la perspectiva de la empresa, llevando a cabo un estudio cualitativo sobre la evolución de la Denominación de Origen de Vino Ribera del Guadiana. El estudio se ha llevado a cabo en el periodo de 2002 a 2008, en el que la DO Ribera del Guadiana ha pasado de 6 a 12 años de existencia, consolidando su posición en el mercado. Los bodegueros han pasado de una posición de escepticismo en la primera parte del análisis, a una posición de confianza y seguridad en la última parte del estudio.Consumer is more and more demanding and as a consequence the product quality has become a crucial element during the last decade. This attribute has an added value in the agrofood market, due to the social and health impact of food quality. Different problems concerning quality of food products have profoundly affected the market of European agriculture and cattle raising. Different steps have been taken, and the main option is the search of quality together with factors associated to the agriculture, as tradition, origin. Together, these elements generate protection tools for food quality, designations of origin, acting as commercial brands of extensive use in this economic sector. The establishment and development of designations of origin in Spain have been carried out continuously for more than one decade. Managers and producers have adapted to the new protection forms, but little is known about their opinion and their point of view during the introduction process. In this work, we have analyzed the significance and influence of the designation of origin from the company point of view, carrying out a qualitative study on the establishment of Designation of Origin of wine Ribera del Guadiana. The work has been carried out in the period from 2002 to 2008, in which DO Ribera del Guadiana went from 6 to 12 years of existence, strengthening its market position. Managers and producers have changed their skepticism of the first years for a position of confidence in the last part of the study

Understanding factors influencing consumer attitudes toward cause‐related marketing

Cause‐related marketing (CRM) has proliferated as a marketing strategy and is being employed by numerous brands across product categories. Despite its widespread popularity, not much is known about the factors that influence consumer attitudes toward CRM. In this study, we investigate the antecedents of consumer attitudes toward CRM, specifically sociodemographic characteristics, consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence, and mediating role of consumer values. We test causal relationships employing a partial least squares‐based structural equation model. The data are collected via a structured questionnaire resulting in 456 valid responses. Our study demonstrates that attitudes toward CRM are influenced by sociodemographic characteristics with personal values acting as mediator. In addition, our findings show that consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence affects the importance given to values, which in turn influences attitudes toward CRM. Our study makes theoretical contributions in the domain of CRM, specifically regarding the role of personal values, interpersonal influences, and sociodemographic factors in influencing attitudes toward CRM. In addition, the findings have relevance for managers responsible for their CRM campaigns

Proposal of a social alliance success model from a relationship marketing perspective: A meta-analytical study of the theoretical foundations

Partnerships between businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have become widely adopted mechanisms for collaboration in addressing complex social issues, the aim being to take advantage of the two types of organizational rationale to generate mutual value. Many such alliances have proved to be unsuccessful, however. To assist managers improve the likelihood of success of their collaborative relationships, the authors propose a success model of business-NGO partnering processes based on Relationship Marketing Theory. They also analyse the theoretical bases of the model's hypotheses through a meta-analytical study of the existing literature.

Cause-related marketing: a systematic review of the literature

Versión en línea del registro antes de la inclusión en un número.Online versión of record before inclusión in an issue.Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) is one of the most versatile activities among the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Though CRM is extensively researched, however, only a few authors have performed systematic literature reviews on CRM. Therefore, more systematic reviews of CRM are still needed to complete and bring together the more contributions, advances, and different existing research lines. Thus, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the existing literature in CRM from the two keywords: “Cause-Related Marketing” and “Cause Marketing”, and the time period ranges from 1988 to 2020. In this study, rigorous protocol is used in synthesizing 344 English articles drawing upon e-journal database searches. These articles were categorized by time-wise development, country-wise development, methodological development, cross-cultural analysis, the role of journals. This study also carried out the Bibliometric Analyses. The review highlights that the concept of CRM has evolved from being considered a marketing mix tool (a promotion tool), to being considered as a CSR initiative, with a more strategic character. Our findings revealed that only a few journals published articles on CRM. Geographically, the CRM study was initiated in North America, followed by Europe and Oceania, and Asian and Sub-Saharan African countries. From the third decade, there was more collaboration in cross-cultural studies and the use of mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative studies) approach. Lastly, this study shows the most manifest research gaps in CRM that opens avenue for future research.Open Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature.peerReviewe

Estudio de la configuración del valor de marca extremeña

RESUMEN La marca y la pequeña empresa son dos campos de gran interés en la investigación empresarial. En este trabajo enlazamos ambos aspectos, incluyendo como tercer elemento de reflexión el lugar de origen de los productos como factor de diferenciación. Se evalúa la marca extremeña en las tres dimensiones características del valor de marca basado en el consumidor y se examinan las preferencias sobre los productos domésticos (de origen regional) frente a los foráneos. El estudio se realiza para siete categorías de productos agroalimentarios. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto la distinta configuración del valor de marca del producto extremeño, así como algunas peculiaridades del perfil de fidelidad que reflejan cierta predisposición etnocéntrica del consumidor extremeño. ABSTRACT Brand and small business are topics of great interest in business research. This paper joins these two subjects, adding the place of origin of the products as diferentiation factor. Regional brands are evaluated at the three typical dimensions of costumer-based brand equity and preferences of domestic products are examined (regional origin) compare as foreing. This work is carried out with seven categories of agroo-food products. Results show the different costumerbased brand equity of the regional product, apart from some characteristics of the fidelity profile that reflect a certain ethnocentric tendency of the regional consumer.Valor de marca, Imagen de marca, Marketing agroalimentario