Autori: Resciniti, Riccardo, Marino, Vittoria, Cammarota, Antonella, D'Arco, Mario, Avallone, Francesca
Titolo: Activism across borders: strategic brand approaches for multinational enterprises in Europe
Periodico: Sinergie
Anno: 2025 - Volume: 43 - Fascicolo: 127 - Pagina iniziale: 121 - Pagina finale: 150

Frame of the research. As multinational enterprises (MNEs) increasingly engage in roles beyond conventional business activities, their involvement in brand activism has become a focal point of interest. This development underlines the urgency for MNEs to address global challenges, positioning them as pivotal actors in the evolving corporate social responsibility and global activism narrative. In particular, the heterogeneous socio-political context of Europe, featuring varied levels of press freedom, regulatory frameworks, and cultural norms, presents a compelling case to explore the tension between local adaptation and global standardization in activist communications. Purpose of the paper. This research explores the unexplored realm of brand activism from an international perspective, focusing on how MNEs either standardize or customize their activist communications to align with the diverse contexts within specific European markets. The primary purpose is to analyze MNEs' strategies to ensure that their activism effectively resonates across various European landscapes while assessing the balance between regional consistency and local relevance in their messaging. Furthermore, we examine how different degrees of press freedom can either amplify activist messaging or expose brands to heightened scrutiny. Additionally, the study considers the role of press freedom in shaping activist communications within these contexts. Methodology. To address this purpose, the research is divided into two studies employing a mixed-method approach to achieve this goal. Study 1 conducts a content analysis of social media communication from an activist brand across several European countries. Study 2 performs a semiotic analysis to understand whether the communication is adapted or standardized to different local contexts. Considering the study's purpose, an activist brand in multiple countries was selected for the analysis as the research setting. Results. This multicounty case study reveals how an MNE conducts brand activism across various European countries, adapting its communication by showing significant variation in activist commitment levels across these markets. The analysis highlights the MNE's strategic adjustments to resonate with diverse regional audiences, indicating a tailored approach to brand activism within the European context. Furthermore, the study examines how press freedom influences these variations in commitment and communication. Research limitations. The research offers valuable insights but is limited by focusing on a single MNE and using only Instagram for data analysis, concentrating solely on communication rather than exploring the MNE's practical actions. To enhance understanding, future studies could broaden their scope by incorporating a wider range of MNEs operating within different European countries, examining brand activism across diverse digital platforms, and delving into the tangible actions that accompany such activism. Moreover, investigating how evolving technologies like AI-driven sentiment analysis could shape or refine international activism strategies will provide a more nuanced outlook on global brand activism. Additionally, future studies should examine brand activism from a global perspective, not limited to Europe, by including countries with more challenging levels of democracy. Managerial implications. This study offers relevant insights for MNEs who navigate the realm of brand activism within European markets. It underscores the critical need for thoughtful decision-making when choosing between standardizing or adapting activist communications. In particular, adopting universal environmental campaigns may safeguard global coherence, but addressing sensitive socio-political issues (e.g., LGBTQIA+ rights, migration) often demands local tailoring to respect cultural and moral norms. These strategic considerations are vital not only for effectively engaging with diverse regional audiences but also for overcoming geographical and cultural barriers and enhancing legitimacy within their operational environments, particularly considering varying levels of press freedom across countries. Originality of the paper. Although brand activism has attracted increasing scholarly and managerial attention, his research seems to be the first to explore brand activism within the European context by analysing how MNEs communicate their activism across diverse European countries. By linking the brand activism literature with international business frameworks and the concept of press freedom, this sets the stage for future research to delve deeper into how such activism is conceptualized and executed across different countries, considering varying levels of press freedom.




SICI: 0393-5108(2025)43:127<121:AABSBA>2.0.ZU;2-4
Testo completo: https://ojs.sijm.it/index.php/sinergie/article/view/1927/1017

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