Beware of the dog: The role of Social Media Watchdogs in Fashion Industry CSR communication.

ABSTRACT

Social movements and the developments of communication technology are changing the way younger audiences perceive the fashion industry. The collapse of Rana Plaza in 2013 and the global reach of its news were a catalyst for change, prompting new CSR activities in an industry that was never at the forefront of sustainability. Whereas prior academic research focuses on CSR developments in the fashion industry, there is a gap in the literature regarding social media and how the information flow changed consumers' perceptions. Social media changed the way the industry's gatekeepers gate information and fostered the success of social media watchdogs. These watchdogs are influential critics who use vigilantism to demand accountability and change in one of the most polluting industries in the world. This study aimed to explore these new stakeholders and their influence on consumers' perception of CSR activities of fashion brands. A quantitative online experiment with four conditions (N = 253) examined the research question: To what extent do the tonality of social media watchdogs (positive vs. negative remarks about a company) and watchdogs’ credibility (high vs. low) affect perceived CSR authenticity, corporate reputation, and eWoM among consumers in the fashion industry? Does watchdogs’ credibility moderate the impact of social media watchdogs' remarks on the outcomes?

In line with previous research, this thesis showed that the tone of the watchdogs' remarks on the CSR activity affects how consumers perceive CSR authenticity, corporate reputation, and electronic word of mouth (eWoM). Contrary to what was expected, the watchdog's credibility did not play a significant role in shaping consumers' perceptions or moderates the tonality effect. Additionally, this study found significant differences between the Generation Z and Millennial cohorts. The younger generation has a significantly negative perception of brands than its counterpart and heightened sensitivity towards negative tonality that Millennials did not present. The findings add to prior CSR communication research by exploring the new phenomena of watchdogs, helping companies understand their impact, and creating communication strategies that account for their effect while highlighting the importance of social media tonality.

KEYWORDS: CSR communication, social media watchdogs, CSR authenticity, corporate reputation, eWoM.

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