Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has an important role in modern society. It is a comprehensive concept that also represents an umbrella term for sustainability, corporate citizenship, triple bottom line, etc. CSR, as well as sustainability, examines the social role of companies and their impact on the environment, and in a broader sense, the world. Therefore, CSR or green advertising is the most popular tool used to communicate companies' CSR efforts, which are aimed at addressing and creating green value for a consumer. However, consumer responses vary. The purpose of the thesis was to examine how consumers respond to the use of two advertising appeals – humour and irony in CSR advertising, as these are increasingly being used by advertisers. I was interested in how consumers process humour and irony, and how the additional appeal of fear may lead to further changes in consumer behaviour. These advertising appeals share the ability to surprise consumers, thus effectively capturing their attention. They also significantly affect consumers' attitudes towards the advertisement, brand, and purchase intention. I conducted an empirical study comprising two focus groups to find answers to the research questions set out in the thesis. I found that consumers have a rather negative attitude towards the use of humorous appeal in CSR advertising (also in CSR shock advertising) but a very positive attitude towards the use of ironic appeal in CSR advertising. The study therefore offers valuable insight into the use of both forms of appeal and their application in CSR advertising.
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