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Article
Publication date: 10 August 2015

Imran Rahman, Jeongdoo Park and Christina Geng-qing Chi

This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate, drawing upon influential discounting behavior theory and cognition – affect – behavior (C-A-B) paradigm, consumers’ reactions…

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Abstract

Purpose

This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate, drawing upon influential discounting behavior theory and cognition – affect – behavior (C-A-B) paradigm, consumers’ reactions to the phenomenon of “greenwashing” in the lodging industry. More specifically, this paper proposed and tested a theoretical model that examined whether recognizing the ulterior motive caused consumer skepticism about hotels’ environmental claims, which in turn influenced consumers’ intention to participate in linen reuse program and intention to revisit the hotel. Additionally, the moderating effects of ecological concern on the relationship between skepticism and intention to participate and between skepticism and intention to revisit were examined.

Design/methodology/approach

A quasi-experimental design was used with two conditions (control vs ulterior motive) employing staff members of a US public university as study participants. In total, 638 useful responses were received.

Findings

The results of this study revealed that an ulterior motive of hotels’ environmental claims evoked consumer skepticism, which, in turn, negatively influenced consumers’ intention to participate in the linen reuse program and intention to revisit the hotel. Skepticism was found to partially mediate the relationships between ulterior motive and intention to participate and between ulterior motive and intention to revisit. Consumers’ ecological concern was not found to moderate the relationship between skepticism and intention to participate in the linen reuse program and skepticism and intention to revisit the hotel. In addition, a significant positive direct effect between ecological concern and intention to participate and a non-significant effect between ecological concern and revisit intention were revealed.

Research limitations/implications

Focus on consumers’ response to the ulterior motive of environmental claims advances an understanding of consumers’ attitudes and perceptions about hotels’ green practices.

Practical implications

Findings suggest that hotels need to be watchful so that consumers do not become skeptical. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that managers do everything possible to give customers no room for doubt. Hoteliers need to spend more effort in installing comprehensive green programs and make true green claims by keeping the potential consequences of greenwashing in mind. Hoteliers also need to seek out third-party certifications that require the hotel to meet certain standards, which will help ensure credibility in the eyes of consumers.

Originality/value

Hospitality literature has seldom explored this gray area of green marketing, and, in this regard, this study serves as a guide to hoteliers and researchers alike. The authors thereby anticipate that this study would encourage more research in this often overlooked but highly important area.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 27 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2017

Ilwoo Ju

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of consumers’ prescription drug advertising (DTCA) skepticism on their advertising evaluation. In addition, the study…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of consumers’ prescription drug advertising (DTCA) skepticism on their advertising evaluation. In addition, the study investigates the moderating role of health risk information location in DTCA and the mediating role of perceived message effectiveness to address when and how the skepticism effects are maximized or minimized.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a controlled lab experiment to enhance internal validity.

Findings

This study found that when risk information was presented earlier in a more prominent manner, it appeared to reduce the DTCA skepticism effects. In contrast, the DTCA skepticism effects remained considerable when benefit information was presented earlier.

Research limitations/implications

The artificial nature of the controlled lab setting suggests conducting future research in a more natural setting using various therapeutic and product categories to enhance ecological and external validity.

Practical implications

Pharmaceutical marketers could reduce consumers’ DTCA skepticism effects on their advertising evaluation by using situational message strategies. The prominence of health risk disclosure could be one of such strategies.

Social implications

The FDA’s industry guidance for DTCA risk communication suggests that the location of risk information in the ad may play an important role in determining its prominence. However, little is known about how complying with the FDA’s risk communication guidance by presenting a more prominent risk disclosure can affect consumers’ ad evaluation by affecting the DTCA skepticism effects. The current study provides empirical evidence for the importance of the health risk disclosure prominence.

Originality/value

Because the FDA’s release of the DTCA risk communication guidance, little empirical research has been conducted to examine a wide range of situational message factors that may affect consumers’ response to DTCA risk communication. The current study filled the gap in the literature by addressing the interplay between consumer and message factors in the DTCA context.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 August 2021

Fayez Ahmad and Francisco Guzmán

Despite skepticism, consumers rely on online reviews for their purchase decisions. However, academics mostly argue that skepticism has an inverse relationship with consumer…

1800

Abstract

Purpose

Despite skepticism, consumers rely on online reviews for their purchase decisions. However, academics mostly argue that skepticism has an inverse relationship with consumer decision-making. This study aims to investigate the relationship among skepticism, reliance and consumer purchase decisions in an online review context. It also investigates the moderating role of review self-efficacy and regulatory focus in the relationship between skepticism and reliance on online reviews.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey with a nationally representative sample and two experimental studies are conducted.

Findings

Skepticism negatively affects consumers’ reliance on online reviews and reliance on online reviews mediates the relationship between skepticism and review-based purchase decisions. High review self-efficacy participants tend to rely more on online reviews than low review self-efficacy participants. Promotion-focused people rely more on online reviews than prevention-focused people, despite similar levels of skepticism.

Research limitations/implications

The findings contribute to the skepticism, self-efficacy and regulatory focus literature. The general framework of the relationship among skepticism, reliance and purchase decision is also applicable in an online review context.

Originality/value

The results provide evidence of a stronger reliance on online reviews of high review self-efficacy and promotion-oriented consumers compared to low review self-efficacy and prevention-oriented consumers.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 38 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2019

Lauren Copeland and Gargi Bhaduri

The apparel industry is often scrutinized for its lack of environmental stewardship, and thus pro-environmental initiatives have been of significant consideration among apparel…

2823

Abstract

Purpose

The apparel industry is often scrutinized for its lack of environmental stewardship, and thus pro-environmental initiatives have been of significant consideration among apparel brands in recent years. However, one personality trait of specific concern to brand marketers is consumer skepticism toward climate change, which has the potential to negatively impact the success of brands’ pro-environmental initiatives. In this light, research indicates that knowledge of the environmental impact of products can lead to lower skepticism (Tobler et al., 2012) and ultimately higher purchase intentions of such products. Thus, this study investigates the impact of consumers’ knowledge about environmental impact of apparel, climate change skepticism on their evaluation of brands’ pro-environmental initiatives (shared value and perceived benefit) and ultimately their relationship with the brand (perceived trust, commitment), leading to purchase intention for both familiar and unfamiliar brands.

Design/methodology/approach

Two separate studies were conducted for familiar and unfamiliar brands. Data for online surveys were collected from two US nationwide samples and analyzed using path analyses.

Findings

Consumers’ intention to purchase from a pro-environmental brand was influenced by knowledge and skepticism. Particularly, the obtained shared value perceptions and perceived benefits of consumers influenced their relationship with the brand through trust and commitment, which eventually impacted their intention to purchase from the brand. Differences were observed for familiar and unfamiliar brands.

Practical implications

Findings of this study will help brand managers design effective pro-environmental marketing messages. Both familiar and unfamiliar brands would benefit from educating consumers about the true environmental impact of their apparel choices, as well as the personal benefits and values earned when purchasing/consuming pro-environmental apparel. This, in turn, reduces consumer skepticism toward climate change, leading to favorable evaluations of the brand’s pro-environmental initiatives and improvement of long-term brand relations.

Originality/value

This study extended the social exchange theory by understanding antecedents of consumers’ shared value and perceived benefits, namely, their knowledge about the environmental impact of apparel and their skepticism toward climate change, with the final outcome variable being consumers’ patronage intention of pro-environmental brands.

Article
Publication date: 21 November 2023

Jean-François Toti and Andrea Milena Sánchez Romero

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of subjective ambivalence on ethical consumption behaviors and the role of ethical claims in reducing feelings of ambivalence…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of subjective ambivalence on ethical consumption behaviors and the role of ethical claims in reducing feelings of ambivalence toward buying ethical products.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted two studies. In study 1, the authors carried out an online survey with a sample of 230 French consumers. The authors applied structural equation modeling with Amos to test the relationships among skepticism, ambivalence and ethical consumption behaviors. Study 2 is an experimental design in which the authors manipulated ethical claims (low – few ethical arguments vs. high – many ethical arguments) in advertising (176 French panelists). The authors tested the relationships among consumer ethical sensitivity, perceived brand ethicality, skepticism, ambivalence and intention to purchase an ethical product, depending on ethical claims in advertising.

Findings

Study 1 shows that skepticism toward advertising of ethical products amplifies feelings of ambivalence and that ambivalence reduces consumers’ willingness to adopt ethical consumption behaviors. Study 2 shows that strong claims in advertising of ethical products reduce skepticism toward advertising of ethical products and feelings of ambivalence toward buying an ethical product through perceived brand ethicality, with consumers’ ethical sensitivity positively moderating these relationships.

Research limitations/implications

The two studies explore only one form of ambivalence (i.e. subjective), and the experimental study focuses on a single category of products.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the difficulties in promoting ethical products. Consumers need to know if a product is “really” ethical, as they may feel ambivalent toward that product. This paper shows that strong ethical claims in advertising ethical products significantly help to overcome this barrier.

Originality/value

Based on attribution theory and persuasion models, this research reveals how ethical claims in advertising affect feelings of ambivalence, which negatively influence consumers’ willingness to adopt ethical consumption. In addition, it follows a holistic approach to ethical consumption behaviors to explore consumers’ ambivalence.

Details

European Journal of Marketing, vol. 57 no. 12
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0309-0566

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 August 2022

Sujo Thomas, Viral Bhatt and Ritesh Patel

This study examines the influence of consumer skepticism on cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign participation intentions of Generation Z consumers from emerging market…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the influence of consumer skepticism on cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign participation intentions of Generation Z consumers from emerging market perspective. This study was undertaken due to the paucity of relevant literature in the public domain to directly investigate whether and how consumers' skepticism affects CRM participation intentions, specifically in the luxury retailing context.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted among 552 Generation Z consumers and path analysis was used to examine the direct and indirect effects of skepticism. The mediation and moderation analysis was used to explore and test the authors' hypotheses via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS SEM).

Findings

The authors' findings provide empirical evidence that corporate social responsibility, religiosity and cause involvement positively affects consumer participation intentions, and this link is also established indirectly through skepticism toward the CRM campaign. These findings provide novel theoretical contributions by establishing skepticism's complex role in determining the CRM participation intention in the Generation Z consumers' context. This study further demonstrates the moderating effect of gender and luxury store format on consumer skepticism and CRM participation intentions.

Originality/value

The Generation z group will represent a quarter of the Asia–Pacific region's population by 2025. However, little is known about Generation z consumers' CRM participation intentions. This research would help practitioners, including luxury retailers, CRM managers and advertising professionals, to effectively design CRM campaigns. The paper contributes by highlighting the theoretical implications and managerial implications based on the current findings in the emerging market context.

Article
Publication date: 3 January 2020

Minelle E. Silva, José Milton de Sousa-Filho, Amanda Pruski Yamim and Abílio Peixoto Diógenes

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumers’ skepticism and green consumption in different economies by exploring antecedents and consequences…

1221

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between consumers’ skepticism and green consumption in different economies by exploring antecedents and consequences of skepticism.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a cross-country approach, with data from Brazil and France, the relationships between green skepticism and downstream consequences (e.g. intention to purchase green products) were analyzed using the partial least squares path modeling with the results of 996 questionnaires.

Findings

Contradicting previous research, the authors found that in France, green skepticism represents consumers’ increased green advertising elaboration, not a disbelief in companies’ claims, and it is associated with greater intentions to make green purchases. Meanwhile, in Brazil, green skepticism represents consumers’ disbelief, which is associated to consumers greater suspicion toward (and distance from) companies’ claims in such country. This study shows that the role of skepticism and the valence of its effect on green attitudes depend on market relationships.

Research limitations/implications

The authors promote the importance of investigating the different meanings of skepticism across countries, what can spill over on research of other marketing aspects, such as advertising elaboration. Managers should consider the importance of consumers’ doubts and skepticism as a useful element that can be explored in green advertising effectiveness.

Practical implications

Managers should consider the importance of consumers’ doubts and skepticism as a useful element that can be explored in green advertising effectiveness.

Originality/value

This research examines an underexplored debate on the role of green skepticism in different economies and demonstrates the nuances green advertising impact on both markets.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 38 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 August 2021

Kevin Teah, Billy Sung and Ian Phau

The purpose of this study is to examine how perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) motives may influence situational scepticism towards luxury brands and its effects on…

1131

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine how perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) motives may influence situational scepticism towards luxury brands and its effects on brand resonance, resilience to negative information and consumer advocacy of luxury brands. The moderating role of perceived fit towards luxury brand CSR initiatives is also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

An experimental approach on a 2 × 2 matrix was used. Data are collected through a consumer panel.

Findings

Values-driven motives were found to lead to lower consumer situational scepticism and egoistic-driven motives would lead to higher levels of consumer situational scepticism. While higher consumer situational scepticism leads to lower brand resonance, there is no significant relationship between scepticism and resilience to negative information and consumer advocacy. The findings also suggest that perceived fit moderates the relationship between consumer situational scepticism to resilience to negative information and consumer situational scepticism to consumer advocacy.

Originality/value

The key originality of the study is that it provides empirical insights into situational scepticism of CSR initiatives and its influence in consumer and management outcomes in luxury brands.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 40 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 June 2018

Muhammad Mustafa Raziq, Qazi Mohammed Ahmed, Mansoor Ahmad, Saquib Yusaf, Aymen Sajjad and Salman Waheed

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of advertising skepticism and need for cognition with consumers’ attitudes toward brand. There is currently limited…

1995

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of advertising skepticism and need for cognition with consumers’ attitudes toward brand. There is currently limited understanding on how advertising skepticism and need for cognition relate to the consumers’ attitudes.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a “within-brand-comparison” strategy, a mock print advertisement of a telecom brand is shown to 204 cellular services users in Pakistan. This is followed by a survey. Data are analyzed using a variance-based structural equation modeling.

Findings

The relationship of advertising skepticism with attitude toward brand is negative and partially mediated by the sequence of brand image, advertisement believability and attitudes toward advertisement. In contrast, the relationship between need for cognition and attitude toward brand is positive and fully mediated by the sequence of brand image, advertisement believability and attitudes toward advertisement.

Originality/value

The paper fills some theoretical as well as empirical gaps by showing how (in a within-brand comparative advertisement context) advertising skepticism and need for cognition relate to the consumers’ attitudes toward brand.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 36 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 March 2018

Mikyeung Bae

This paper aims to clarify a situational factor that might interfere with the intended outcome of a cause-related marketing (CRM) ad on social network sites (SNSs): statements…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to clarify a situational factor that might interfere with the intended outcome of a cause-related marketing (CRM) ad on social network sites (SNSs): statements about the motivation of the sponsoring company for supporting a social cause. This study also aims to explore how highly skeptical consumers and consumers with lower levels of skepticism differ in their responses to CRM ads.

Design/methodology/approach

In Study 1, a total of 409 college students took part in an online experiment through Qualtrics. The online experiment followed a 2 (statement of motivations: both of firm and public benefits vs public benefit only) × 2 (skepticism: high vs low) between-subjects design. Skepticism was determined post hoc as a two-category variable to analyze its effect on the relationship between the statement of motivations and attribution. In Study 2, a total of 533 adults took part in an online experiment. Multigroup analysis was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

This study found that firm’s acknowledgments of firm-serving motivation, as well as of public-serving motivation, could be an effective marketing strategy to reduce consumer skepticism about the firm’s motives. The procedure by which a consumer perceived and evaluated the motives of a company determined the effectiveness of the company’s CRM ads. Temporary state of skepticism induced by an attributional thinking process is found to play a significant role in diminishing perceived corporate credibility. Finally, a consumer’s perception of a company’s credibility has a great impact on their intention to join that company’s brand page.

Research limitations/implications

This study advances theories about consumers’ defensive mechanisms that can help predict their favorable responses to the brand pages featuring CRM on SNSs.

Originality/value

This study extends previous literature by directing academic attention to consumers’ perceived attribution as a theoretical mechanism that can help predict consumers’ favorable responses to brand pages featuring CRM on SNSs. This study also extends previous research on skepticism by showing that consumer skepticism can be either an enduring trait or a temporary state. The findings suggest that marketers may be able to inhibit the development of consumer skepticism by publicly stating the potential firm-serving benefits of its actions.

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