Luxury Brands Taking a Stand: A Cross-Cultural Study of Generation Z Responses to Luxury Fashion Brand Activism in Italy and Vietnam

Luxury fashion brand activism can inspire consumer support but also provoke opposition. This thesis examines these contrasting responses among Generation Z consumers in Italy and Vietnam through the persuasion knowledge model, focusing on authenticity, hypocrisy, prestige, and brand attitude, alongside consumer-brand agreement and individual-level collectivist orientation. A cross-sectional survey exposed 162 respondents to a hypothetical environmental activism announcement by Hermès. Data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling, with bootstrapping and robustness checks comparing binary and four-point agreement measures. Authenticity was positively associated with buycott intention, while hypocrisy was positively associated with boycott intention; both relationships remained stable across specifications. Brand attitude mediated the associations of authenticity and hypocrisy with buycott intention, but not boycott intention, while prestige did not significantly predict brand attitude. Cultural moderation was path-specific, and agreement-related direct and moderation findings were sensitive to measurement specification. The findings suggest distinct credibility-based routes to consumer reward and punishment, highlighting the importance of aligning activist communication with credible conduct rather than relying on agreement with the cause or established prestige alone.