Exploring Audience Perception of a Cause-Related Sponsorship Campaign : The Case of Hummel and the Danish National Football TeamDuring The 2022 FIFA World Cup

Sammanfattning: Background: There has been a noticeable growth in the use of sponsorships and corporate social responsibility in the world of professional sports, especially in football. This phenomenon is not particularly surprising given that modern companies are forced to compete for the attention of more socially conscious audiences. The socially responsible reputation of a firm may be significantly strengthened by incorporating CSR and CRM efforts. Audiences have shown to have a more positive opinion of these initiatives when they are implemented in the sports industry, often differentiating them from direct corporate marketing due to their perceived authenticity and compassion. Hummel's decision to tone down the Danish national team's kit for The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar serves as a compelling example of cause-related marketing within the football industry.   Purpose: The development of an in-depth understanding of how online communities perceive the cause-related campaign executed by Hummel at The 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Method: Qualitative Research; Interpretivism; Methodology – Exploratory Case Study; Inductive Approach; Data Collection – Systematic; Sampling – Deliberate/Nonprobability Sampling; Data Analysis – Content Analysis (creation of tree-diagrams based on quotes, generic categories and main categories)  Conclusion: The authors have undertaken a comprehensive analysis of the findings derived from content analysis, establishing meaningful connections between these findings and relevant theories regarding cause-related marketing (CRM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR). As a result, this study makes a contribution to the scholarly understanding of the potential responses exhibited by online communities towards cause-related marketing campaigns. The findings of this study shed light on the diverse range of reactions that can be anticipated when a company chooses to engage in such sponsorship endeavors.