Abstract

While corporate social responsibility (CSR) is changing the rules of branding, it is unclear how. As a result, practitioners are left in a state of confusion when having to decide on how to tackle CSR in a way that benefits both the corporate brand and society at large. This article offers a framework to enable companies to address CSR and their brands strategically, whether as entrepreneurs, performers, vocal converts, or quietly conscientious. It defines these categories according to the level of involvement, integration, and the key initiator of the CSR focus. The article concludes with suggestions that practitioners should keep in mind when seeking to balance stakeholder tensions and to achieve consistency in their corporate branding and CSR efforts.