Interaction Effects of Perceived Sponsor Motives and Facebook Credibility on Willingness to Visit Social Cause Facebook Page

Abstract

This article explores the factors affecting college students’ willingness to participate in a Facebook page promoting a specific social cause: binge drinking prevention. The study examined the effects of the interactions between medium credibility (trustworthiness toward Facebook) and perceived advertisers’ motives (sponsored by a beer company versus nonprofit organization) on willingness to participate in the Facebook page through an experimental design. Also, motivational factors influencing medium credibility were examined. When students trusted Facebook, they were more likely to participate in the binge drinking prevention Facebook page. Students less engaged with the social cause varied significantly in their willingness to participate the Facebook page, depending on their perception of advertisers’ motives in supporting social causes but not depending on the perceived trustworthiness toward the Facebook page. However, highly engaged students notably altered their behavioral intention based on the perceived trustworthiness of the Facebook page but not depending on the perceived advertisers’ motives. Further implications and future studies are discussed.

Keywords:

• Facebook
• binge drinking
• perceived sponsor motives
• medium credibility
• issue engagement

Acknowledgments

Yoon-Joo Lee (PhD, University of Tennessee), is assistant professor of advertising, Department of Communications, University of Southern Indiana.

Ho-Young (Anthony) Ahn (PhD, University of Tennessee) is assistant professor of Advertising and Promotions, Department of Communication, Southern Connecticut State University.