The impact of “social mediascape” on brand communication: CSR risks in tweetjacking

The paper analyses consumers’ hostile responses and “creative” re-interpretation of a CSR brand communication campaign on social media by a leading Italian company in energy industry. Taking Palazzo and Basu’s framework of scapes (2007) as a starting point, the paper thus explores the intersection between ethical branding and CSR studies. Considering the lack of empirical studies on this subject, a content analysis of tweets generated from the campaign “Guerrieri” of Enel is performed. Findings show the dialogic bottom-up approach results ineffective due to the hijacking of original intent of the firm in implementing its CSR communication initiatives. Corporate brand strategies can be easily re-interpreted in social mediascape in an opposing perspective, thus raising the risk of digital hijacking and boycotting initiatives. From a practical standpoint, the study might inform managers to evaluate complex problems implicated in the creation of CSR activities aimed at engaging consumers and communities. The paper is one the first attempt to study the nexus between ethics and brand in digitally-empowering contexts, clarifying the crucial role of social media.