Date of Award
6-26-2026
Date Published
August 2026
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Public Relations
Advisor(s)
Joon Soo Lim
Second Advisor
Hua Jiang
Keywords
Brand–Issue Fit;Brand–Issue Justification Strength;Corporate Social Advocacy (CSA);Narrative Messaging;Narrative Transportation;Perceived Authenticity
Subject Categories
Communication | Social and Behavioral Sciences
Abstract
This study examines whether narrative advocacy messaging can enhance perceived authenticity in corporate social advocacy by increasing narrative transportation, and whether brand–issue justification strength affects this process. Using a 2 (advocacy message format: narrative vs. non-narrative) × 2 (brand–issue justification strength: strong vs. weak) between-subjects experiment with 198 U.S. adults, participants viewed a fictitious denim brand’s advocacy advertisement for immigrant rights. Narrative messaging increased transportation, transportation positively predicted perceived authenticity, and transportation mediated the effect of narrative format on authenticity. The results also revealed a competitive mediation pattern: narrative messaging produced a positive indirect effect through transportation but a negative direct effect, suggesting that story-based advocacy may simultaneously invite immersion and trigger persuasion knowledge. Contrary to expectations, brand–issue justification strength did not moderate the transportation pathway, although exploratory analyses suggested it may operate through a separate attribution-based route tied to perceived brand–issue fit. Overall, the findings extend narrative transportation theory into the corporate social advocacy context and suggest that authenticity perceptions may be supported by emotionally engaging storytelling and credible brand–issue reasoning.
Access
Open Access
Recommended Citation
Park, Christine Eunseol, "The Effect of Narrative Advocacy Messaging on Perceived CSA Authenticity: The Mediating Role of Narrative Transportation" (2026). Theses - ALL. 1056.
https://surface.syr.edu/thesis/1056
