How Consumers Respond to Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives: A Cluster Analysis of Dairy Consumers

Corporate branding has been a key marketing strategy for many decades, but the nature and focus of branding activities has evolved along with the interests and buying motivations of consumers, especially in the food sector. An increasing number of food companies are creating loyal customers by positioning their products in a manner that addresses concerns buyers may have about the environment, food safety, community issues and other social issues. In this study, we highlight the common themes that milk consumers may prefer to support with their buying dollars, some that are common across the whole population (animal welfare) and others that vary across distinguishable consumer segments (support for economy, environmental impact).