Corporate Social Responsibility and Electronic Word-Of-Mouth: A Social Influence and Self-Image Expression Perspective on Food Digital Native Vertical Brands

Digitally Native Vertical Brands (DNVBs) operating through direct-to-consumer (DTC) models have opened new market-entry opportunities for small food businesses. The survival of DNVBs highly depends on what other consumers say about them, i.e. positive online word-of-mouth (eWOM). To this end, it is essential to understand the mechanisms that lead consumers to engage in such practices. Through a cross-sectional survey (N = 404), this study is dedicated to understanding the mechanisms by which Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication practices translate into eWOM in food DNVBs, suggesting that social influence and self-image expression mediate the relationship between both variables, based on self-presentation theory and social identity theory. The results show that CSR perception increases consumer’s willingness to produce positive eWOM. This relationship is mediated by consumer psychological factors–namely, social influence and the consumer’s need for self-image expression. Managerial implications and future research directions are also addressed. The proposed model introduces a novel hypothesis that emphasizes the role of CSR as a strategic communication resource, which is an emotional and social anchor, driving consumer engagement and the generation of positive eWOM. This innovative approach broadens our understanding of brand-consumer relationships in the digital environment.