Beyond the plate: the role of brand activism on customer citizenship behaviour in the food services brands

Purpose The present study aims to scrutinise the relationship between activism, brand perception and customer citizenship behaviour mediated by brand trust and brand pride. Additionally, the study included ethical beliefs as a moderator of the relationship between activism brand perception and brand trust. Design/methodology/approach 284 data were collected and analysed by SmartPLS software. The research utilised a purposive sampling method to reach customers who had previously experienced food services involved in brand activism. Findings Activism brand perception significantly influences trust but does not influence brand pride. The results reveal that activism brand perception has a positive relationship with customer citizenship behaviour through serial mediation of brand trust and brand pride. The results also reported a significant moderation effect of ethical belief on activism brand perception and customer citizenship behaviour. Practical implications Based on the findings, this study suggests that managers should recognise the importance of social impact and ethical responsibility in shaping customers' citizenship behaviours. By establishing transparent communication, the organisation can showcase socially responsible activities aligned with the brand's core values. Originality/value Current research offers valuable insights for strategising brand activism initiatives to build brand trust and, in turn, elevate brand pride, thereby fostering customer citizenship behaviours. The findings highlight the importance of developing transparent brand motivations and a clearly defined mission in activism initiatives to strengthen brand trust. These strategies would be impactful when targeting consumers with strong ethical beliefs.