Brand Authenticity and CSR Reporting: Marks and Spencer Case Study

Limited research has been undertaken on the congruence between CSR consumer perception in brand associations and the representational discourse that retail brands generate around CSR activities. This paper addresses this by... [ view full abstract ]

Limited research has been undertaken on the congruence between CSR consumer perception in brand associations and the representational discourse that retail brands generate around CSR activities. This paper addresses this by initially reporting on a discourse analysis of how M&S represents their CSR activities in annual reports and offering comparative findings from twenty six interviews with customers on their interpretation of the company’s CSR orientation. A strong interlinking of CSR reporting with elements of M&S brand heritage and brand authenticity was matched by a multi layered consumer perception that drew strongly on symbolic memory and meaningful brand experiences.

Keywords: CSR, brand authenticity, brand heritage, discourse analysis, M&S