Assessing the Impact of Socially Engaged Brand Storytelling on Female Consumers’ Purchase Intention: The Case of Pink October

In an advertising landscape saturated with commercial messages, brands use storytelling in order to differenciate themselves and to build meaningful relationships and connection with consumers. Beyond traditional product-focused communication, socially engaged brand storytelling seeks to convey values, commitment, and support for societal causes, with the objective of generating emotional resonance and connect with consumers. This thesis explores the effectiveness of such storytelling by analysing whether socially engaged brand storytelling influences female consumers’ purchase intention, using Pink October campaigns as a context and example. Pink October represents a sensitive and powerful space of expression, as it is associated with breast cancer awareness, prevention, and support for patients. While many brands participate in the campaign to demonstrate social responsibility, their involvement and actions also raises concerns regarding authenticity and the risk of opportunistic practices such as “pinkwashing.” At the same time, consumers nowadays, particularly women, in this case, are increasingly demanding, seeking coherence between brand discourse and actions, as well as emotional and ethical alignment with the brands they support and buy from. Building on an extensive literature review, this study examine the role of emotions in the reception of socially engaged storytelling, their influence on brand perception, and their effect on purchase intention. An empirical research framework was developed using a quantitative methodology, including the construction and administration of a survey to a sample of female consumers. Statistical analyses were conducted to test in order to assess the relationships between emotional responses, brand perception, and purchase intention. 2 The findings provide insights into how socially engaged storytelling can shape consumer attitudes and intentions, while also highlighting the importance of sincerity, credibility, and ethical consistency in cause-related marketing. This thesis contributes to a better understanding of responsible brand communication and offers managerial recommendations for designing impactful and authentic storytelling strategies, while acknowledging the limitations inherent to the research.