Leveraging moral foundations theory in sociopolitical campaigns: an empirical investigation on how brands can persuade university-affiliated consumers with moral reframing

Abstract Conscientious brands guided by ethical and moral principles are actively involved in social issues, taking public stances on sociopolitical topics. However, conscientious purpose-driven branding (CPB) can backfire if consumers disagree with a brand’s stance, highlighting the need for brands to understand how consumers perceive brands’ political engagement and how, in turn, they can positively influence consumer perceptions without compromising their stance. Based on moral foundations theory (MFT), we conducted an experimental study in a university context, focusing on higher education students and employees. Our findings show that their moral foundations (equality and loyalty) determine how they perceive brands’ political campaigns. Moreover, we highlight an affective response towards CPB, focusing on other-condemning emotions, which are negative emotions (e.g. anger, disgust) directed towards moral violations, as an essential mediator towards brand attitude and behavioural intentions. Finally, moral reframing, the strategic emphasis on moral values in a message, moderates the impact of moral foundations on moral emotions. When a pro-immigration stance is aligned with consumers’ moral values, negative perceptions can be significantly reduced, particularly among consumers with high levels of loyalty. In conclusion, we develop an initial application of MFT in the context of conscientious brands and contribute to the understanding of CBP.