Storytelling in Brand Activism: Narrative Structure and Word-of-Mouth

Consumers increasingly evaluate brands based on the causes they choose to support, alongside product performance, raising the question of how storytelling can effectively convey this social commitment. This study examines whether narrative structure in brand-created activist video advertising is positively associated with narrative transportation and, consequently, brand–cause fit, brand reputation, and word-of-mouth (WOM) intentions. Data were collected through a self-administered online survey completed immediately after participants (n = 213) watched a branded activist video produced by a Portuguese telecommunications company. The proposed model was tested using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) in SmartPLS 4, following established two-stage procedures for assessing measurement and structural model quality. Results support all five hypothesised relationships: narrative structure is strongly associated with narrative transportation, which is positively related to both brand–cause fit and brand reputation; brand–cause fit is further associated with a stronger reputation, which in turn is positively related to WOM. These findings suggest that narrative transportation plays a central role in linking coherent storytelling to favourable brand outcomes. The study also extends the Extended Transportation-Imagery Model to the activist advertising context and offers brand managers practical guidance for designing narrative-driven communication that strengthens brand–cause congruence, reputation, and consumer advocacy.