Greenfluencers as agents of social change: the effectiveness of sponsored messages in driving sustainable consumption
ISSN: 0309-0566
Article publication date: 28 November 2022
Issue publication date: 17 January 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the role of message appeals (concrete vs abstract) posted by greenfluencers in determining their behavioral intention toward the sponsored sustainable product. This study examined the underlying mechanism of message authenticity and product sustainability image in this relationship. This study also investigated the boundary condition of product type (utilitarian vs hedonic) in the effect of sustainability message appeal on purchase intention.
Design/methodology/approach
Four studies were carried out. One field experiment on Facebook and three scenario-based online experiments were conducted to test the proposed relationships.
Findings
This study found that a concrete message appeal results in a higher purchase intention of the promoted product than an abstract message appeal. This effect is a result of message authenticity and product sustainability image. Furthermore, product type moderates the impact of message appeal on behavioral intention via message authenticity and product sustainability image.
Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the literature on influencer marketing, sustainability communication and the persuasion process.
Practical implications
This study’s findings provide insights for greenfluencers and firms that leverage greenfluencers to promote their sustainable products on social media. Specifically, it lays out how the sustainability message should be framed to be persuasive.
Originality/value
This study findings offer novel insights for greenfluencers and firms in developing effective message strategies to promote sustainable products on social media.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research is supported by the Key Scheme of the Ningbo Soft Science Programme (Grant No. 2021R004) funded by the Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau and the Zhejiang Soft Science Programme (Grant No. 2022C35053) funded by the Science Technology Department of Zhejiang Province.
Citation
Kapoor, P.S., Balaji, M.S. and Jiang, Y. (2023), "Greenfluencers as agents of social change: the effectiveness of sponsored messages in driving sustainable consumption", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 57 No. 2, pp. 533-561. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-10-2021-0776
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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