The recent surge in corporate responses to social and political crises marks a pivotal shift in how brands perceive their societal roles. This study explores “brand activism,” a phenomenon whereby brands engage in social advocacy through digital platforms, reflecting a strategic integration of social issues into their core identity and marketing practices. This proactive stance not only raises awareness and mobilizes support but also raises ethical concerns about the potential for brands to exploit social causes for commercial gain. Employing qualitative content analysis with a critical phenomenological approach, this research investigates how individuals engage empathy-based representations within brand activism on digital platforms. Data from interviews with 37 young adults reveal that while brand activism can foster a sense of empowerment and moral alignment, it also risks superficial engagement and selective empathy. This study highlights the ethical considerations in brand activism and how digital media shapes moral reasoning in contemporary branding.

中文翻译：

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品牌行动主义中的同理心和道德：平衡参与和责任


最近企业对社会和政治危机的反应激增，标志着品牌如何看待其社会角色的关键转变。本研究探讨了“品牌行动主义”，这是一种品牌通过数字平台参与社会倡导的现象，反映了将社会问题战略性地融入其核心身份和营销实践中。这种积极主动的立场不仅提高了认识并动员了支持，而且还引发了人们对品牌利用社会事业获取商业利益的可能性的道德担忧。这项研究采用定性内容分析和批判性现象学方法，调查个人如何在数字平台上的品牌行动中进行基于同理心的表征。对 37 名年轻人的采访数据显示，虽然品牌行动主义可以培养赋权感和道德一致性，但它也存在肤浅的参与和选择性同理心的风险。这项研究强调了品牌行动主义中的道德考虑，以及数字媒体如何塑造当代品牌中的道德推理。