The role of brand schemas, information transparency, and source of message on apparel brands' social responsibility communication

Abstract

In today's complex business environment, apparel brands are communicating about their socially responsible (SR) practices through marketing messages to create a niche for themselves and show their SR efforts. However, SR aspects of products are difficult to verify by consumers. To help brands effectively communicate their SR efforts, this study assessed how consumers process an apparel brand's SR messages based on their prior experiences with that brand (brand schemas). Information transparency on messages and source of messages were tested as external cues to influence consumers' brand schemas and SR message evaluations in a mixed method repeated measures online experiment using a national US consumer sample. Results from regression-based conditional process analyses indicated that increased congruity of consumers' schemas to the fact that brands are SR led to more favorable attitude toward brands' SR messages. Also, presence of high information transparency on SR messages influenced consumers' schemas positively, and in turn, they evaluated messages more favorably. However, consumers were not influenced by whether messages were made by brands or third-party organizations. The study results show the importance of brand schemas and information transparency on apparel brand communications, helping both apparel brands and educators create effective SR-related marketing strategies.

Keywords::

• schema
• transparency
• third-party certificate
• bootstrap
• apparel brand
• social responsibility

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

^1. Effect = total indirect effect of pre-schema on attitude toward message through post-schema. This is equal to: [direct effect (unstandardized regression coefficient) of pre-schema on attitude toward message, controlling for post-schema] – [effect (unstandardized regression coefficient) of pre-schema on attitude toward message].

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this project was provided by Center for the Digital Globe at the University of Missouri.

Notes on contributors

Gargi Bhaduri

Gargi Bhaduri, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Fashion School at Kent State University. Her research interests include sustainable supply chain issues, communication strategies in the supply chain, and information processing. She uses quantitative, qualitative, and psychophysiological methods in her work.

Jung Ha-Brookshire

Jung E. Ha-Brookshire, Ph.D., is Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Textile and Apparel Management at the University of Missouri. Her research interests include global supply chain and sourcing strategies, sustainable production and consumption of textile and apparel, and firm/industry identity issues. Her work uses quantitative, qualitative, and psychophysiological methods.