The emergence of CSR as an advertising topic: A longitudinal study of German CSR advertisements

Abstract

In recent years, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is gaining in relevance. The analyses available on this issue take predominantly a direct reference to the normative and strategic management level. However, until now hardly any analyses have been available on CSR as a result of companies' operative marketing communications management. The research presented is based on this interest. It is exploring by means of content analysis the developments in advertising that have taken place in the CSR-communication offers with respect to quantity and content during the years 2002–7. The objects of investigation are the weekly German magazines Der Spiegel, Focus and WirtschaftsWoche. The findings show that the share of CSR print advertisements has increased significantly (+390%) and that the companies' will to take over social responsibility has been established within their advertising topic mix. The companies are linking increasingly their ecological and/or social commitment with product advertising having the effect that the economic component of the triple-bottom-line is gaining in relevance. Hence, these developments suggest that on a normative and strategic management level the concept of an ethical economy is further emerging. The companies get confronted with an increasing public communication pressure in the CSR area.

Keywords:

• Corporate Social Responsibility
• advertisement
• management
• triple-bottom-line
• content analysis