Company's CSR on a societal level: Comparison of the UK, Bulgarian and Polish consumers' level of acceptance of gender roles as resulting from company's communication

Three experiments were conducted in Poland, UK and Bulgaria (N = 485) to test prediction that information found in editorials covering company’s communication and suggesting that a target (or reference) brand’s ads contain non-stereotypical (vs. stereotypical) female portrayals influences consumers’ brand perception and assessment. Research partially supported the existence of positive spillover effects as editorials containing information about non-sexist gender portrayals in reference brand advertisement increased target brand’s assessment, perceived target’s brand friendliness towards women and purchase intentions. Potential moderators to observed relationships include attitude towards feminism and market literacy, which both contribute to reducing differences between appraisal of brands described as presenting objectifying vs. non-objectifying portrayals of women. An indirect effect of non-stereotypical women portrayal on the ratings of typicality of non-stereotypical female roles in a society was additionally observed, suggesting that brand assessment and subsequent purchase intentions may mediate consumers’ formation of stereotypes about women. The effect was more pronounced in a Bulgaria. A concluding argument in favour of closer cooperation of marketing and PR functions is laid out and increased sensitivity towards social issues as a part of corporate responsibility curriculum is suggested.