Public Relations Review 32 (2006) 80–82

Alternative sites of identification�

Amy O’Connor∗North Dakota State University, 321H Minard Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5075, USA

Received 5 November 2004; received in revised form 12 October 2005; accepted 24 October 2005

1. Introduction

Although corporate values advocacy efforts have increased in recent years, relatively little research has been doneabout the ability of these campaigns to alter the perceptions and behavior of target publics. This research extends ourunderstanding of values advocacy by linking its conceptual framework to identification theory. Taken together, the twoconstructs explain how corporate social responsibility can induce identification among target publics.

2. Alternative sites of identification

Alternative sites of identification are conceptualized as a link created between the targeted public and the organizationvia a third entity. The third entity is an association that is not central to the day-to-day business operations of thecorporation or its profit making endeavors. Common links include philanthropic organizations, community initiatives,and social/cultural values.

Whereas the site of identification in identification theory literature is the organization, here the site where iden-tification occurs is not the organization. Rather identification occurs in those moments when the target audience isengaged with a cause, value, or belief that they perceive as having social and/or cultural worth. Each encounter with thecorporation’s support of something the target audience deems important leaves an impression that taken cumulativelymay result in a transference of identification. In essence, the public first identifies with the cause, value, or beliefespoused and subsequently identifies with the corporation since they (the public and the corporation) share a commonconnection. The subtleness of the corporate appeal may be more palatable to publics because the corporation is askingfor nothing (at least not at the present moment) and is giving back to the community and the public.

2.1. Characteristics of alternative sites of identification

First, alternative sites of identification are expansive. The creation of alternative sites allows the corporation to estab-lish relationships with target audience(s) that may have been unreachable through messages or practices associatedwith its core business. In doing so, the corporation is able to expand its corporate borders to include various segmentsof society. The creation of alternative sites of identification increases the number of connections an organization has

� The complete study may be obtained upon request from the author.∗ Tel.: +1 701 231 8585; fax: +1 701 231 7784.

E-mail address: amy.oconnor@ndsu.edu.

0363-8111/$ – see front matter © 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.doi:10.1016/j.pubrev.2005.10.013

A. O’Connor / Public Relations Review 32 (2006) 80–82 81

economically, socially, and culturally. For the corporation that has a relatively defined consumer base, the abilityof alternative sites of identification to expand its reach may be particularly appealing. Through the establishmentof alternative sites of identification the corporation is provided with a forum to reach publics that may be rela-tively unfamiliar with its products yet important to the company in other ways (e.g. voters, opinion leaders, or jurymembers).

Second, alternative sites of identification are fluid. Organizations can select alternative sites of identification basedon the particular interests and needs of the target audience and the corporation. In addition, the number of sites is limitedonly by the corporation’s finances and imagination. It is conceivable that alternative sites of identification for the samecompany will differ in both size and scope. Following the organization as a living organism metaphor, alternative sitesof identification can also be viewed as having a lifecycle that is determined by the organization and the target audience.Fluidity allows the corporation to appear in tune with changing social and cultural values of the target without havingto change profitable business practices.

Third, alternative sites of identification are strategic. Organization can choose those sites that provide the largestreturn on investment at a particular point in time. These sites may be determined by demographic, geographic, orphilosophical criteria. In addition, since alternative sites of identification are separate from the organization’s corebusiness it is unlikely that stock price or day-to-day business operations would be disrupted when alternative sites ofidentification are altered.

2.2. Utility of alternative sites of identification

The concept of alternative sites of identification may be of particular interest to industries (e.g., chemical, phar-maceutical, oil, alcohol, and tobacco) that are prone to lawsuits, consumer complaints, or seen as being out of stepwith social values. In each of these industries, public opinion of the overall business is relatively low thus putting thecorporation at an increase risk of adverse public response to messages about the core business. Through the establish-ment of alternative sites of identification, the corporation can begin to establish positive relationships with potentiallyimportant latent publics.

The establishment of alternative sites of identification is a temporally and fiscally intensive endeavor. Over time,organizational support of social and cultural values creates many chances for a target public to positively identify withthe organization via the alternative site (e.g. the place, value, or idea) that connects them. For publics micro momentsare so subtle that the corporation’s motivations may never be fully understood or questioned. For example, patrons ofthe arts receive messages of corporate support in each playbill. A single micro moment in this case may not have muchimpact on an individual but taken over time the target may identify with the corporation through the shared value ofsupporting the arts while never investigating, questioning, or recognizing other, perhaps less desirable, activities thecorporation supports.

In all likelihood, identification through alternative sites and micro moments will not fully protect an organizationfrom a macro mistake. It may, however, provide a protective coating that will help the organization avoid completesocial and cultural isolation or irrelevance. This is of significance since for organizations to remain viable they musthave the active or tacit support of the environment in which they operate.

3. Conclusion

In contemporary American society, corporations are increasingly involved in funding social and cultural initiativesthat are operationally distinct from the sponsoring corporation’s core business practices. Companies apply the lessonsof venture capitalism to charitable pursuits and to ensure that their philanthropy is as central to their missions and theiremployee’s lives as anything else they do. Under these guidelines, corporate executives are encouraged to see corporatesocial responsibility as investing in a social issue that is a business constraint and a way to engage opinion leadersto help the company experience business success. The communication outcome of corporate social responsibility isthe values advocacy campaign. Recent campaigns (e.g. Philip Morris, Wal-Mart, and Chevron-Texaco) demonstratethe potential for values advocacy messages to induce identification among target publics in a way that is distinct fromtraditional product advertising.

This study represents a first step in a larger research agenda of understanding the relationship between values advo-cacy campaigns, identification, and target publics behavior. Values advocacy is expanded and situated in identification

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theory to develop a communicatively centered theory that describes the persuasive premises of values advocacy cam-paigns. Alternative sites of identification are offered as a way to understand the ability of corporations to link themselvesto the social scene and connect with publics beyond those concerned with its core business. Further research is neededto explore the concepts presented in this article using contemporary corporate values advocacy campaign messagesand target publics.