FiT Publishing

A recent cause-related marketing (CRM) trend for sport organizations has been to adopt a service dog that they will train and showcase through social media and at team events. This phenomenon is unique as these teams are utilizing the dog as a brand association but through a charitable lens in that they are providing resources to train the dog and giving exposure to a good cause. This study examines the consumer behavior implications, specifically brand image, perceived altruism, and purchase intentions, of sport organizations adopting service dogs. Through an experimental design, this...Read more

Several studies have focused on cause-related sport marketing (CRM), yet few have examined social marketing in sport. The purpose of this study was to show how both are unique strategies employed in sport to achieve corporate social responsibility. A qualitative content analysis was utilized to analyze the outreach programs of the NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB as described on each website. A directed content analysis was used to categorize outreach programs as CRM, social marketing, or other community outreach based on five variables that differentiate each strategy. Forty three programs were...Read more

Many studies have demonstrated that cause-related marketing (CRM) can impact consumer choice, but its impact can depend on many factors. In this study, we examined the role that team identification can play in the relationship between CRM and consumer choice of team-licensed products. A discrete choice experiment with 119 college students indicates that CRM influenced consumer choices of team-licensed products. Participants preferred team-licensed products that support a cause with a broad appeal. However, this preference was mostly evident among those participants with a low...Read more

Marketing communications utilizing a non-profit cause (i.e., the sponsorship of a non-profit cause) have emerged as a mainstream practice as practitioners respond to rising consumer expectations of corporate social responsibility (CSR). The increasing popularity of cause-related marketing programs (CRMPs) can be attributed to the integration of sponsorship in many organizations' sport marketing strategy. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes, beliefs, and purchase intentions of consumers exposed to a firm's sponsorship of a sporting event associated with a non-profit...Read more

Expenditures on cause-related marketing (CRM) have grown dramatically in the past decade. Consumers tend to have favorable attitudes toward businesses that support charities or causes. In professional sports, CRM is being employed by many leagues and teams as a way  ...Read more