Exploring the role of team-related cues on viewer behavior and engagement with corporate social marketing on sport team Twitter pages

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role of team-related cues and team identification in influencing visual attention and engagement with corporate social marketing (CSM) messages on sport team Twitter pages. Design/methodology/approach An experimental design was adopted using a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial approach, with two levels for each of the following factors: message framing (positive vs negative), team-related cues (with vs without team logos) and team identification (high vs low). Eye-tracking technology was used to identify visual attention and engagement with cause promotion messages. Eye-tracking data from 140 participants, recruited from the East Coast of the USA, were analyzed using a combination of statistical methods. Findings The results demonstrate that negatively framed messages with team logos significantly increase visual attention and engagement, especially among individuals with high team identification. Team-related cues were found to enhance the effect of negative message framing on visual attention, with this effect being further intensified by high levels of team identification. The study also reveals that visual engagement, as measured by duration time, mediates the relationship between message framing and donation behavior. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature by integrating message framing theory within the context of sport marketing, highlighting the complex interplay between message framing, team-related cues and team identification. By employing eye-tracking technology, the study provides novel insights into how visual attention impacts the effectiveness of CSM messages. Furthermore, this study provides actionable insights for optimizing digital marketing strategies in sport contexts to maximize the impact of CSM initiatives.