This paper aims to study the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on brand image and brand equity and its impact on consumer satisfaction. The study follows a quantitative methodology, using the implementation of an online questionnaire distributed to people who bought, during the pandemic, a product that used a CSR action. Subsequently, data were analyzed through Smart PLS, following the Structural Equation Model. It was possible to conclude that the CSR initiatives positively affect consumer satisfaction through the mediating effect of brand image and brand equity. Further, brand image and brand equity improve when companies use CSR initiatives, and, despite what previous research has concluded, consumer satisfaction is not affected directly when CSR initiatives are used. This research has also showed that CSR’s impact on brand image is higher for men, and CSR initiatives’ impact on brand equity is also higher for regular purchase consumers.

This chapter contains a description of the historical evolution of artificial neural networks since their inception, with the appearance of the first relevant learning method by Paul Werbos in 1986, which remained ignored until it was discovered simultaneously by three groups of independent researchers: LeCun (1986); Parker (1985); and Rumelhart, Hinton, and Williams (1986). The basic concepts and definitions are also described, followed by the different typologies and the most relevant learning algorithms, most notably the backpropagation algorithm. The most recent advances in artificial neural networks are also described, highlighting convolutional neural networks and deep learning.

This research aims to study celebrity endorsement in the context of social media when done by sports celebrities and its influence on purchase intention. Four dimensions have been studied: word of mouth, brand image, brand trust, and brand attitude. By relating these variables, we seek to answer the following questions: Will consumers be influenced by a sports celebrity that they admire to buy a product/service from a brand that they support? Will the brand’s components be valued as a result of celebrity endorsement? Using a questionnaire shared on social networks, 303 valid answers have been obtained. Our statistical analysis has used a structural equation model and the results have been analyzed using SmartPLS software, which has confirmed all the model assumptions. Therefore, celebrity endorsement has an impact on brand image, word of mouth, brand attitude, and brand trust. Furthermore, it directly affects purchase intention. The effectiveness of celebrity endorsement has been verified in the context of social media and this research can thus help marketeers understand the importance of using sports celebrities to endorse brands. Implications for brands have been identified, based on the research results.

O artigo analisa as marcas de propriedade de - ou controladas por - supermercados varejistas. Foram investigados os componentes do mix de marketing dos produtos sob essas marcas e as características socioeconômicas e comportamentais de compradores propensos ao consumo de tais marcas.

To understand how fashion brands are communicating their sustainability strategies supported in green marketing, a case study was developed with the brands H&M and Levi's. An analysis of the green marketing mix of both brands was carried out with a special focus on digital communication. Their sustainability reports and digital tools were analyzed, namely website, blog, newsletter, and social networks. It was found that both fashion brands are investing significantly in strategies to become more sustainable, seeking to adapt the marketing mix in a green marketing perspective, and are using the online medium to communicate their efforts.