Rainbows and laughter: How humor boosts e‐Word‐of‐Mouth for LGBT+ brands on social media

Abstract

LGBT+ brands, i.e., those supporting and catering for the LGBT+ community and primarily owned and operated by members of this community, have been standing out for their authenticity in a marketplace where brands are regularly accused of “rainbow‐washing.” Yet, despite the recent media spotlight these brands are still struggling to grow and gain visibility among the general public. This study aims to explore how LGBT+ brands can leverage their content to increase e‐Word‐of‐Mouth (eWOM) on social media. Specifically, we focus on humorous content because its impact on eWOM has been mixed in the literature and brand type has been overlooked as a potential moderator to date. Using brand anthropomorphism and schema congruity theory, our research proposes that LGBT+ brands that adopt humor in their social media content generate higher eWOM when compared to mainstream brands. We suggest that consumers attribute the expected characteristics of gay individuals (e.g., humorous, witty, …) to LGBT+ brands, thus leading to perceived brand‐post fit as the underlying mechanism. Two studies based on Facebook data from two different LGBT+ brands and a scenario‐based experiment validate these findings. Alongside conceptualizing LGBT+ brands, we provide valuable insights into how these brands can gain exposure and visibility on social media.