Do CSR Ads with Public Health Messages Pertaining to COVID-19 Actually Help Consumers, Advertisers, and Society? Insights from the United States and Germany

Abstract

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, many corporations have employed a new form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) advertising that incorporates COVID-19-related health behavior recommendations. This type of CSR advertising seeks to increase both business-oriented responses and health-oriented responses. As such, these ads are thought to benefit three audiences from inclusion of such messages: (1) society at large when individuals comply with the health messages; (2) individual consumers through increased sense of well-being and safety; and (3) the company through positive effects on the brand. Given the impact on all three audiences, we developed a comprehensive model that incorporates both the health belief model (HBM) and traditional advertising variables. We tested the model in the United States and Germany, surveying a total of 2,302 subjects. The model was largely confirmed in both countries. Importantly, COVID-19-related CSR ads increased the individual consumer’s sense of well-being, which then had a positive effect on brand outcomes but a detrimental effect on message compliance. This effect was stronger in Germany than in the United States. Thus, our findings are indicative of some undesirable effects on society of CSR ads that include COVID-19-related health behavior recommendations.