How the timing of corporate donations shapes consumer trust

Whether a company donates $1,000 a week for 52 weeks or gives $52,000 all at once, the total amount donated is the same. However, recent research by Alexander Park, an assistant professor of marketing at Indiana University Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis, finds that consumers view these donations differently. Specifically, his research shows that consumers see companies as more authentically motivated when they donate periodically ($1,000 a week for 52 weeks), leading them to evaluate the company more favorably.