THE CONFLICTING VALUES OF

LUXURY BRANDING AND CSR TO

EQUITY BUILD BRAND

Reem Mohsen El Adly

Problem identification
 The term ―luxury‖ has been used to describe the
highest category of prestigious brands.
 luxury brands convey two personal values: hedonism
and perfectionism.
 Therefore, the luxury industry is not typically linked
to socially responsible initiatives concerning
environmental impact or human rights.
The Goal of the Article
 This research investigates how luxury brands can
overcome the challenge of communicating their CSR
initiatives by leveraging celebrity endorsers.
 A celebrity endorser who is perceived to care about
social causes can transfer meaning associated with
self-transcendence and self-enhancement to the
messaging, thus increasing the perception of fit
between the brand and the social cause, which
consequently impacts brand equity.
Research Questions
1. what is the effect of using celebrity endorsers on
responsible luxury?

2. what is the mechanism responsible for generating

a positive effect on brand equity?
Hypotheses
1. Hypothesis 1 A responsible luxury ad using a
celebrity endorser committed to social causes
leads to a positive perception of fit between the
brand and a cause than (a)Without a celebrity
endorser or (b) with a celebrity endorser not
committed to social causes.
Hypotheses
2. Hypothesis 2 A responsible luxury ad using a
celebrity endorser committed to social causes leads to
a greater attitude toward the brand than a
responsible luxury ad (a) without a celebrity, or (b)
with a celebrity endorser not committed to social
causes.
Hypotheses
3. Hypothesis 3 Perceived brand–cause fit mediates
the relationship between ad type and brand equity.

4. Hypothesis 4 Attitude toward the brand mediates

the relationship between ad type and brand equity.
Conceptual Framework
Study
 They used Leonardo DiCaprio (perceived to care
about social causes, high fit).
 Justin Bieber (perceived to not care about social
causes, low fit).
 whereas the other ad was only about the brand—
Rolex.
 To ensure realism, the non-profit organization
selected was UNICEF.
Results
 H1a and H1b are supported.

 H2a is supported but not H2b.

 H3 is supported but not H4.

Conclusion
 So using celebrity known to care about social
responsibility solves the lack of fit between luxury
and social initiatives and also makes positive
attitude towards the brand so builds ―Brand Equity‖
using CSR.
 This fit made by the right celebrity is useful in the
advertising.