Potential donors’ gender and prosocial behaviour: a brand anthropomorphism lens

Abstract

This study explores the role of potential donors’ gender in prosocial behaviour, using an anthropomorphic lens. Its findings could aid non-profit organisations (NPOs) in eliciting individual charitable donations and thus accessing additional funding. A gender-neutral brand spokes-character was used as the stimulus in a survey questionnaire distributed via an online panel of 200 respondents, from which actual donation behaviour towards a South African NPO was captured. The data was analysed using multi-group moderation structural equation modelling (SEM). The findings indicated that potential donors’ gender plays a role in the relationships between brand anthropomorphism and prosocial behaviour in South Africa, highlighting the importance of context-specific considerations when exploring gender differences. Thus, contributions are made to understanding the role of gender in prosocial behaviour through a brand anthropomorphism lens. Practical context-specific insights related to actual donation behaviour in a developing country are also provided.