Investigating the Role of Brand Equity in Predicting the Relationship Between Message Exposure and Parental Support for Their Child’s Physical Activity

Social marketing researchers have identified brand equity as a potential mediator of the relationship between campaign message exposure and resulting behavior. This study examined whether message exposure and components of brand equity contribute to overall brand equity changes over the course of a 12-month campaign evaluation. In addition, we examine whether brand equity consistently accounts for covariance (i.e., mediation) in the relationship between message exposure and parental support (PS). Data were drawn from ParticipACTION’s “Think Again” campaign evaluations that targeted parents, specifically moms, with children between the ages of 5 and 11 years (three independent samples: March 2011, N = 702 [T1]; September 2011, N = 706 [T2]; March 2012, N = 670 [T3]). Univariate analyses of variance were used to examine changes in message exposure and components of brand equity over time, while structural equation modeling was used to examine the brand equity model relationship. Findings revealed that message exposure was greatest at T3 ( ps < .01) and that brand equity was greatest at T2 ( ps < .05). Model fit statistics revealed modest to good fit. Results demonstrated that Think Again message exposure was related to brand equity (standardized effects .10–.28) and that brand equity was related to PS (standardized effects .30–.40; ( ps < .01). Importantly, an indirect effect of message exposure on PS through brand equity (standardized effects .03–.09) emerged in all models ( ps < .05). This study demonstrates the utility of branding social marketing campaigns to increase campaign effectiveness.