The influence of CSR practices on “New Look” brand equity and how to effectively communicate it to customers in Ireland

Abstract

Despite the fact that more organizations are adhering to and proving their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), many are still grappling with how to effectively communicate their CSR efforts without appearing self-serving or generating stakeholder skepticism. Additionally, companies remain uncertain about the extent to which CSR practices and their communication impact the company's brand equity.

This research aimed to assess the influence of CSR practices on the brand equity of "New Look" and how to effectively communicate it to customers in Ireland. The study focused on four main objectives:

Evaluate the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on the brand equity of "New Look". Assess the company's perspective and strategy in terms of CSR practices. Evaluate the company's current CSR communication strategy. Explore effective ways to communicate CSR to customers. The research adopted an interpretivist point of view, analyzing the subjectivity of human behavior and perceptions through an inductive perspective using a qualitative method. Qualitative findings were explored through interviews based on the research objectives and conceptual framework. Interviews were conducted via asynchronous email and the Zoom app with a sample size of fourteen participants recruited through the "New Look" LinkedIn page.

Findings regarding the influence of CSR practices on "New Look" brand equity suggested that CSR does influence brand equity, as presented in the literature review chapter. However, variables such as customer perspective, awareness, level of interest, brand reputation, and skepticism were identified as factors that might affect the extent to which CSR influences brand equity. Consequently, the impact of each variable on brand equity was found to be inconclusive.

In summary, the majority of the findings reaffirmed the literature presented in this research, contributing to the academic discourse on CSR practices and their influence on brand equity. Additionally, it provides insights for the company under study to better evaluate its strategy and approaches towards CSR practices and communications.