Impact of social communication on consumer attitudes and legal legitimacy

Abstract

Social communication is fundamentally different from advertising communication as it aims to "influence" rather than "sell" a product. Unlike advertising, social communication challenges the recipient's opinion. Understanding the target audience's opinion is crucial for social communication because the ultimate goal is to modify it.

Furthermore, employing social communication requires time. Changing someone's opinion is not a quick task; it demands thorough research, analysis, and understanding of societal changes and expectations. This article aims to address our research question, which seeks to measure the impact of social communication on consumer attitudes and explore the ways to legitimize these actions ‘To what extent can social communication influence consumer attitudes and legitimize social actions?’. This will be accomplished through a review of scientific literature on communication and social concepts, as well as a quantitative study targeting Moroccan consumers.

In today's world, social communication is becoming increasingly essential. Understanding the consumer and fostering a strong familial connection based on social principles are key to advancing and cultivating long-term consumer loyalty, regardless of the situation or living conditions (such as post-COVID). Social communication is rooted in human and civic values and often gives a voice to marginalized communities. It is also built on solidarity and sharing, creating a tangible impact on society.

Keywords: Societal Communication, Societal Action, Consumer Attitude, Legitimacy of Actions.

JEL Classification: D83

Paper type: Empirical research