PurposeConsumers’ high skepticism is a key problem in CSR communication, particularly towards promotional forms of CSR, e.g. CRM. Previous studies on consumers’ skepticism towards CRM have focused on consumers’ perceived motives for compa-nies’ CSR activities (altruistic vs. egoistic). These studies showed that consumers’ skepticism concerning companies’ motives negatively affects their attitudes towards these companies as well as their purchase intentions. Based on previous findings on differences in CSR activities in Germany and the US, this study focuses on intercultural differences by examining motive attribution towards CRM campaigns by Germans and Americans and related implications for perceived credibility of CRM campaigns in the two countries.DesignParticipants in Germany as well as in the US are asked to evaluate a CRM campaign from Pedigree, a manufacturer of dog food well known in both countries. More specifically, they are being asked to assess the motives of this company to engage in CSR and the credibility of the CRM campaign.FindingsBased on previous studies on different traditions of civic engagement in Germany and America and the consequences for CSR today, it is assumed that Americans are more likely to think of CRM as a credible and effective way to address the country’s social problems, whereas Germans frequently associate CSR with attempts to improve the company’s reputation as well as sales.Originality/valueSo far, intercultural differences have not been taken into account in previous studies, although differences between con-sumers’ perceptions of companies’ CSR activities have been assumed in CSR research.