Social Impact of Brand Activism Initiatives and Insights for Emerging Markets

Abstract

This paper explores the under-researched area of how emerging market dynamics affect brands that take a sociopolitical stance. Our purpose is to gain a deeper understanding of brand activism in emerging markets and its impact on society and brands in the light of the Scandinavian Institutionalism Theory that deals with the changing meanings of ideas during their transition from one place to another. We have conducted in-depth interviews and alternated between literature reviews. Qualitative thematic analysis is used to comprehend the position of brand activism in emerging markets and present insights for future research. From a macro perspective, our insights propose a taxonomy of social impact for brand activism in emerging markets. This study suggests a dynamic and interactive process in which brand activism ideas and practices are circulated across national boundaries and institutional orders, shifting from generalized notions to embedded practices with local meanings.