Consumer engagement with brands' COVID-19 messaging on social media: the role of perceived brand-social issue fit and brand opportunism
Authors: J Mundel, J Yang
Published: 2025
Publication: Journal of Interactive Advertising, 2021 - Taylor & Francis
Brands with strong perceived fit between their products and COVID-19 messaging showed higher consumer engagement and positive attitudes, while those with lower perceived fit faced negative evaluations due to perceptions of opportunism.
Methods: Analyzed consumer responses to Instagram ads using perceived brand-social issue fit as a determinant of ad evaluations, brand attitudes, and engagement intentions.
Key Findings: Consumer responses, ad evaluations, brand attitudes, engagement intentions, and perceived brand opportunism based on fit between product type and COVID-19 messaging.
Limitations: The study only focuses on Instagram ads in the United States and does not address long-term consumer engagement or messaging impact beyond COVID-19 claims.
Institution: Arizona State University, Loyola University
Research Area: Consumer Behavior, Social Media Marketing, COVID-19 Studies
Discipline: Marketing,Social Sciences
Citations: 29
DOI: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/15252019.2021.1958274#