Green pride in sustainable versus premium brand decisions
Marketing Intelligence & Planning
ISSN: 0263-4503
Article publication date: 13 June 2022
Issue publication date: 6 September 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Earlier research indicates that brand choices may display different identity signals, such as altruism and benevolence for green brands or high status and exclusiveness for premium brands. This research adds to the literature by exploring how opting for green (vs premium) brands leads consumers to feel authentic (vs hubristic) pride.
Design/methodology/approach
Three experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses related to green versus premium choices (Studies 1–3), public accountability (Study 2) and the underlying process of anticipated judgment (Study 3).
Findings
The findings reveal that choosing a green (vs premium) brand results in higher authentic pride and lower hubristic pride. However, the green pride effects were only observed when consumers' brand choices were publicly accountable. Finally, anticipated judgment mediates changes in authentic pride driven by green (vs premium) brands.
Originality/value
The study findings contribute preponderantly to the green consumer behavior literature and practice by providing primary evidence that green (vs premium) branding can trigger distinct patterns of pride in comparative decisions.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The third author acknowledges the support from the Management of Information Research Center (MagIC), project UIDB/04152/2020.
Citation
Souto Maior, C., Mantovani, D., Pinto, D.C. and Ferreira, M.B. (2022), "Green pride in sustainable versus premium brand decisions", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 40 No. 7, pp. 821-836. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-03-2022-0117
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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