Brand Activism: Impact of Woke Advertising on the Consumers’ Attitude and Brand Perceptions Towards Purchase Intention

Abstract

As more and more consumers are becoming aware and interested in socio-political issues, brands are changing the way they advertise by communicating their stance on key issues on their advertising campaign; a strategy called woke advertising. Through this strategy, brands are taking up the responsibility of creating a lasting positive impact and meaningful contribution to society. However, instead of serving the desired purpose, some of these woke advertisements can backfire and generate negative responses. Thus, this study aims to analyze the impact of woke advertising on the consumers’ attitudes and brand perceptions towards their purchase intentions. The researchers conceptualized two (2) consumer concepts, namely 'passive woke consumers' and 'active woke consumers,' to further define what type of consumers they turn into. Moreover, the researchers conducted an experimental study to determine the changes in the behavior of the consumers before and after they see the woke advertisements. Three hundred eighty-five (385) participants from the National Capital Region were randomly selected based on the criteria developed by the researchers. Furthermore, paired t-test and descriptive analyses were utilized in analyzing the data. This study found out that woke advertisements enhance the overall consumer attitude and brand perception of Filipino consumers. However, they are not a major contributor in increasing their purchase intentions. It is then recommended for future researchers to consider studying other brands that did not have proper execution in addressing sensitive issues that caused negative feedback and controversy around the brand.