Effect of Crowdsourcing on Consumer Brand Perceptions and Behavioral Intentions

Abstract

Crowdsourcing has gained a lot of traction since it was christened way back in 2006, and its growing embracement across the industries augurs well for its future growth. As the ultimate target of any marketing activity is the consumer, it becomes highly imperative to gauge the effect of a crowdsourcing activity on the consumers’ perception and behavior. The present study desires to achieve the same through an experimental research methodology and uses the brand equity framework to assess the non-participants (consumers who do not participate in crowdsourcing activity) perceptions and behavioral intentions toward the crowdsourcing brand. Moreover, as crowdsourcing is also being labeled and criticized as an exploitative form of activity, so as to further accentuate the findings, the difference in the effect on brand equity and behavioral intention on the basis of crowdsourcing campaigns (in context of social and non-social campaigns) is also measured. Overall, the study reveals that crowdsourcing as a concept per se creates favorable consumer brand perceptions and behavioral intentions, provided crowdsourcing involve social initiative.