26

• Research objectives Brand activism has emerged as a powerful yet complex strategy, sparking increasing academic and managerial interest. However, ambiguity persists regarding its definition, dimensions, and impact, which must be clarified to understand the emerging concept of brand activism. • Methodology This paper systematically reviews 124 academic studies integrating insights from marketing, consumer psychology, and management research to refine the conceptualization of brand activism. • Results The review categorizes the dimensions of brand activism and assesses its influence on consumer behavior and brand performance. It identifies four key factors shaping consumer responses : perceived authenticity, political ideology, consumer-brand alignment, and communication strategies. Additionally, brand performance outcomes depend on authenticity and stakeholder reactions, particularly from consumers and investors. The findings, synthesized into a novel conceptual framework, reveal gaps in cross-cultural consumer responses, moral behavior influences, performance metrics, and societal impact. • Managerial implications The proposed framework provides managers with practical guidance to plan and execute activism initiatives that are authentic, strategically aligned with brand values, and responsive to stakeholder expectations. It also underlines the need for brands to commit to their stated causes and measure progress toward genuine societal change, particularly in diverse cultural contexts. • Originality This paper makes a novel contribution by refining the dimensions of brand activism and linking them conceptually to consumer behavior and brand performance. By bridging brand activism with consumer psychology and marketing theories, it advances academic discourse while identifying critical gaps in the literature. It further offers managers a strategic framework to navigate activism effectively.