Measuring the effects of engagement in online brand communities on sustainable brand perception along the triple bottom line
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22428050 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Frederic Dreher (University of Bayreuth), Tim Ströbel (0000-0003-1723-5802, University of Bayreuth) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue | 6 |
| Pages | 1273-1293 |
| Publication date | 2026-06-17 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Social Responsibility Journal (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1747-1117 • E-ISSN: 1758-857X |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/srj-05-2025-0500 |
| OpenAlex | W7133190378 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 79 |
Purpose This study aims to investigate the extent to which customer engagement in online brand communities (OBCs) influences brand perception, focusing on its social, ecological and economic dimension. This study centers on adidas’ brand TERREX and is guided by the three P’s of people, planet and profit. Design/methodology/approach A covariance-based structural equation model was used measuring engagement through five different touchpoints of interaction occurring in the adiClub, the OBC of adidas. The model assesses how these touchpoints affect the sustainable perception of the brand. Findings The results indicate that customer engagement in the adiClub has a positive impact on sustainable brand perception of TERREX. Notably, customers who perceive the brand as environmentally focused are significantly more inclined to invest personal resources in understanding the brand’s offerings. This deeper engagement enhances their perception of TERREX as superior to competitor brands in terms of product quality and functionality. Originality/value This study contributes to research and practice in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and brand management as researchers and managers can obtain new insights into how to engage with customers in OBCs to shape a cohesive sustainable brand perception.
Brand awareness · Brand Community · Brand Engagement · Brand management · Corporate branding · Customer engagement · Perception · Social media · Corporate Social Responsibility Reporting · Digital Marketing and Social Media · Environmental Sustainability in Business
The elephant in the room
W(h)ither Ecology? The Triple Bottom Line, the Global Reporting Initiative, and Corporate Sustainability Reporting
The Process of Customer Engagement
Dimensions of Brand Personality
Identifying and treating unobserved heterogeneity with Fimix-PLS
Customer Engagement
S-D logic–informed customer engagement
Effects of sample size, estimation methods, and model specification on structural equation modeling fit indexes
Demystifying customer brand engagement
The Social Influence of Brand Community
Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis
Common method biases in behavioral research
A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity in variance-based structural equation modeling
When to use and how to report the results of PLS-SEM
Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error
Common Method Bias in PLS-SEM
A Study Of A Measure Of Sampling Adequacy For Factor-Analytic Correlation Matrices
Overcoming Mass Confusion
Coefficient alpha and the internal structure of tests
Practical Issues in Structural Modeling
How Well Do Consumer-Brand Relationships Drive Customer Brand Loyalty? Generalizations from a Meta-Analysis of Brand Relationship Elasticities
Consumers' Need for Uniqueness
Brand Community
| Highly cited | No |
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