The Framing of CSR Messages and how they are interlinked with Brand Heritage and Authenticity for selected UK Grocery Retailers.
type: CreativeWork
description: A review of past literature has highlighted that the incorporation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) values in brand communications is difficult to get right. In particular, limited prior research has examined the evolving nature of CSR and how it is enacted within brand heritage and authenticity. In addressing this gap, this research examines the CSR reporting of two organisations and seeks to interpret how CSR initiatives are enacted within their individual brand heritage and authenticity. A programme of qualitative enquiry was adopted; initially 26 semi-structured interviews were designed to gain insight into the actual experience of a range of respondents of social responsibility ideas, messages and associations as they pertain to UK retailers. In phase two, a critical discourse analysis (CDA) proved an effective means to deconstruct the CSR reporting strategies that link to brand representations over an extensive time period for both UK brands. The findings from the study highlight how symbolic brand heritage references were significant in explaining brand-specific distinctions between CSR messages. High levels of brand-specific trust were linked to recollected memories for some consumers, but this contrasted with distrust by younger respondents. Notable findings from the CDA of Marks and Spencer reports were threefold, demonstrating: a) evidence of evolution in the nature and structure of CSR brand narratives; b) patterns showing strong interlinking of CSR reporting with components of brand heritage, (track record and core values); and c) attempts to create relational and experiential values that conjured forms of brand authenticity directed at stakeholders i.e. customers and employees. Conversely, for the Co-operative CDA offered a) less evidence of evolution in CSR brand narrative; b) limited patterns of interlinking of CSR reporting with elements of brand heritage in the early years, with stronger emergent patterns from the 2000s; and c) a formal rep…
abstract: A review of past literature has highlighted that the incorporation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) values in brand communications is difficult to get right. In particular, limited prior research has examined the evolving nature of CSR and how it is enacted within brand heritage and authenticity. In addressing this gap, this research examines the CSR reporting of two organisations and seeks to interpret how CSR initiatives are enacted within their individual brand heritage and authenticity. A programme of qualitative enquiry was adopted; initially 26 semi-structured interviews were designed to gain insight into the actual experience of a range of respondents of social responsibility ideas, messages and associations as they pertain to UK retailers. In phase two, a critical discourse analysis (CDA) proved an effective means to deconstruct the CSR reporting strategies that link to brand representations over an extensive time period for both UK brands. The findings from the study highlight how symbolic brand heritage references were significant in explaining brand-specific distinctions between CSR messages. High levels of brand-specific trust were linked to recollected memories for some consumers, but this contrasted with distrust by younger respondents. Notable findings from the CDA of Marks and Spencer reports were threefold, demonstrating: a) evidence of evolution in the nature and structure of CSR brand narratives; b) patterns showing strong interlinking of CSR reporting with components of brand heritage, (track record and core values); and c) attempts to create relational and experiential values that conjured forms of brand authenticity directed at stakeholders i.e. customers and employees. Conversely, for the Co-operative CDA offered a) less evidence of evolution in CSR brand narrative; b) limited patterns of interlinking of CSR reporting with elements of brand heritage in the early years, with stronger emergent patterns from the 2000s; and c) a formal rep…
author: Gill, Deviraj
keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Brand Heritage, critical discourse analysis
license: https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstreams/7ac2d995-6996-4b81-b730-c6181ab09f75/download
date published: 2016
date modified: 2026-07-24T06:18:29Z
provider: De Montfort University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: De Montfort University