“Will You Join Us?” Use of the Partake-in-Our-Cause (PIOC) Message in Light of Negative News

This study examines the effects of a partake-in-our-cause (PIOC) message in CSR communication on reducing negative evaluations for a company experiencing negative news. In Experiment 1, we tested the effects of PIOC on individuals’ attention to the message, cognitive responses, and company evaluations. Results show that participants exposed to a PIOC message demonstrate fewer negative company-related thoughts and more positive company evaluations than participants exposed to a non-PIOC message. Experiment 2 was conducted to corroborate the results in an international setting and in comparison with the deliberate silence strategy. Results show that a PIOC message condition induced more positive company evaluations, while also reducing negative cognitive responses relative to a non-PIOC message and a nonresponse condition.