Consumers’ reaction to CSR information source with individual ethical orientation acting as a moderator: a mixed method study among Portuguese Millennials

The present research identifies unexplored contextual stimuli for which CSR messages result in a favorable or rather unfavorable attitudinal outcome among Portuguese Millennial consumers. Conducting a mixed method study, the CSR stimuli Information Source, was determined in qualitative interviews and examined on its effect in a sequential experimental study. Communicating about CSR affected consumers’ Attitude Towards a Company positively when information came from independent sources and backfired when information was initiated by a company itself, reinforced negatively respectively by a third-party cooperation. Moderation analysis confirmed that high levels of Individual Ethical Orientation had a more positive effect on attitude formation