How corporate sociopolitical activism in brand communication shapes brand engagement and consumer-based brand equity: the roles of moral intensity, business relatedness, and need for cognition

While studies have examined corporate sociopolitical activism (CSA) from multiple perspectives, research has not yet examined how different CSA types shape consumer-level brand outcomes or when those effects strengthen or weaken. Addressing that gap, this research examines how CSA types expressed through brand communication influence consumer brand engagement (CBE) and consumer-based brand equity (CBBE), considering need for cognition (NFC) as a boundary condition. Building on three pretests, four quasi-experiments show that servant activism, which is high in moral intensity and low in business relatedness, generates the most favorable brand outcomes, whereas citizen activism also outperforms low-moral-intensity forms. Study 2 shows that CBE mediates the positive effect of servant activism on CBBE. Study 3 shows this indirect effect is stronger among high-NFC consumers. Across studies, moral intensity appears more influential than business relatedness under the conditions tested. These findings offer guidance for advertisers and marketers designing brand communication that builds engagement and equity without inviting skepticism.