Using corporate philanthropy to strengthen brand value

This thesis aims to investigate the impact of corporate philanthropy activities on the perceived brand value of fast food chains McDonald's, KFC and Burger King. It also examines whether there are differences in the perception of philanthropy of these brands among demographically diverse groups. In the theoretical part of the thesis, a philanthropic brand model is developed based on a literature search. The assumption is that corporate philanthropy has a positive impact on brand perception. The practical part of the thesis includes analysis and comparison of the data obtained from the analysis of secondary data from MML-TGI, analysis of selected brands and analysis of the questionnaire survey. The results show that philanthropy has some, but not the main, influence on the perceived value of brands. It is found that philanthropic activities are important to most consumers, but are not the deciding factor in choosing a fast-food restaurant. It was also found that women attach more importance to philanthropic activities than men. Conversely, age differences in perceptions of corporate philanthropy were not statistically significant. The research provided important insights into consumer behaviour within the fast food industry and the influence of brand social responsibility on consumer decision-making. The research results are limited by the fact that they do not apply to the whole population and cannot be generalised. Future research should include a wider range of demographic groups and geographic areas to provide a more comprehensive view of the relationship between corporate philanthropy and perceptions of brand value