Brand activism and employees’ responses

Selei Meiners; Rico Piehler; Kristina Klein

Brand activism and employees’ responses

Selei Meiners^*, Rico Piehler, Kristina Klein

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Marketing

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference abstract › peer-review

Abstract

Companies increasingly engage in brand activism—taking public stands on socio-political issues like gender equality or racism. Research primarily focuses on consumer reactions to activism, while little is known about how employees respond despite their unique position to evaluate the authenticity of such activism. This paper investigates the relationship between brand activism and employees’ responses. It identifies potential mechanisms underlying this effect and boundary conditions. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model by analysing survey data from 853 participants in Germany. Results show that brand activism positively relates to the employee behaviours of behavioural engagement, employer advocacy and, especially, brand activism advocacy. These effects are mediated by employee commitment and identification. For employers, this finding highlights brand activism as a strategic lever for enhancing internal engagement, not just external brand image.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	ANZMAC 2025
Subtitle of host publication	Riding the Waves: Navigating Marketing’s Dynamic Landscape: Conference Proceedings
Editors	Rico Piehler, Cynthia Webster, Riza Casidy, Maree Thyne
Place of Publication	Sydney
Publisher	Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC)
Pages	423
Number of pages	1
Publication status	Published - Dec 2025
Event	ANZMAC 2025 - MAcquarie University, Sydney, Australia Duration: 1 Dec 2025 → 3 Dec 2025 https://www.anzmac2025.com/

Publication series

Name	ANZMAC Conference Proceedings
Publisher	Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy
ISSN (Electronic)	1447-3275

Conference

Conference	ANZMAC 2025
Country/Territory	Australia
City	Sydney
Period	1/12/25 → 3/12/25
Internet address	https://www.anzmac2025.com/

Keywords

Brand activism
employees
advocacy

Access to Document

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kkgJso9NgAP_pNelajvJOJ_AU7a525-9

Cite this

Meiners, S., Piehler, R., & Klein, K. (2025). Brand activism and employees’ responses. In R. Piehler, C. Webster, R. Casidy, & M. Thyne (Eds.), ANZMAC 2025: Riding the Waves: Navigating Marketing’s Dynamic Landscape: Conference Proceedings (pp. 423). (ANZMAC Conference Proceedings). Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC). https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kkgJso9NgAP_pNelajvJOJ_AU7a525-9

Meiners, Selei ; Piehler, Rico ; Klein, Kristina. / Brand activism and employees’ responses. ANZMAC 2025: Riding the Waves: Navigating Marketing’s Dynamic Landscape: Conference Proceedings. editor / Rico Piehler ; Cynthia Webster ; Riza Casidy ; Maree Thyne. Sydney : Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC), 2025. pp. 423 (ANZMAC Conference Proceedings).

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title = "Brand activism and employees{\textquoteright} responses",

abstract = "Companies increasingly engage in brand activism—taking public stands on socio-political issues like gender equality or racism. Research primarily focuses on consumer reactions to activism, while little is known about how employees respond despite their unique position to evaluate the authenticity of such activism. This paper investigates the relationship between brand activism and employees{\textquoteright} responses. It identifies potential mechanisms underlying this effect and boundary conditions. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model by analysing survey data from 853 participants in Germany. Results show that brand activism positively relates to the employee behaviours of behavioural engagement, employer advocacy and, especially, brand activism advocacy. These effects are mediated by employee commitment and identification. For employers, this finding highlights brand activism as a strategic lever for enhancing internal engagement, not just external brand image.",

keywords = "Brand activism, employees, advocacy",

author = "Selei Meiners and Rico Piehler and Kristina Klein",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

language = "English",

series = "ANZMAC Conference Proceedings",

publisher = "Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC)",

pages = "423",

editor = "Rico Piehler and Cynthia Webster and Riza Casidy and Maree Thyne",

booktitle = "ANZMAC 2025",

note = "ANZMAC 2025 ; Conference date: 01-12-2025 Through 03-12-2025",

url = "https://www.anzmac2025.com/",

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Meiners, S, Piehler, R & Klein, K 2025, Brand activism and employees’ responses. in R Piehler, C Webster, R Casidy & M Thyne (eds), ANZMAC 2025: Riding the Waves: Navigating Marketing’s Dynamic Landscape: Conference Proceedings. ANZMAC Conference Proceedings, Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC), Sydney, pp. 423, ANZMAC 2025, Sydney, Australia, 1/12/25. <https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kkgJso9NgAP_pNelajvJOJ_AU7a525-9>

Brand activism and employees’ responses. / Meiners, Selei; Piehler, Rico; Klein, Kristina.
ANZMAC 2025: Riding the Waves: Navigating Marketing’s Dynamic Landscape: Conference Proceedings. ed. / Rico Piehler; Cynthia Webster; Riza Casidy; Maree Thyne. Sydney: Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy (ANZMAC), 2025. p. 423 (ANZMAC Conference Proceedings).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference abstract › peer-review

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AU - Piehler, Rico

AU - Klein, Kristina

PY - 2025/12

Y1 - 2025/12

N2 - Companies increasingly engage in brand activism—taking public stands on socio-political issues like gender equality or racism. Research primarily focuses on consumer reactions to activism, while little is known about how employees respond despite their unique position to evaluate the authenticity of such activism. This paper investigates the relationship between brand activism and employees’ responses. It identifies potential mechanisms underlying this effect and boundary conditions. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model by analysing survey data from 853 participants in Germany. Results show that brand activism positively relates to the employee behaviours of behavioural engagement, employer advocacy and, especially, brand activism advocacy. These effects are mediated by employee commitment and identification. For employers, this finding highlights brand activism as a strategic lever for enhancing internal engagement, not just external brand image.

AB - Companies increasingly engage in brand activism—taking public stands on socio-political issues like gender equality or racism. Research primarily focuses on consumer reactions to activism, while little is known about how employees respond despite their unique position to evaluate the authenticity of such activism. This paper investigates the relationship between brand activism and employees’ responses. It identifies potential mechanisms underlying this effect and boundary conditions. Structural equation modelling is used to test the proposed model by analysing survey data from 853 participants in Germany. Results show that brand activism positively relates to the employee behaviours of behavioural engagement, employer advocacy and, especially, brand activism advocacy. These effects are mediated by employee commitment and identification. For employers, this finding highlights brand activism as a strategic lever for enhancing internal engagement, not just external brand image.

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KW - employees

KW - advocacy

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A2 - Casidy, Riza

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ER -

Brand activism and employees’ responses

Abstract

Publication series

Conference

Keywords

Access to Document

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