RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Why a Single Pro-Environmental Appeal Works to Promote Behavioral Change
JF Journal of Advertising Research
JO J Advert Res
FD WARC
SP 2024-001
DO 10.2501/JAR-2024-001
A1 Matthew Pittman
A1 Tyler Milfeld
A1 Kibum Youn
YR 2024
UL http://www.journalofadvertisingresearch.com/content/early/2024/01/05/JAR-2024-001.abstract
AB Some brands, not-for-profit organizations, and social media influencers post tips to encourage prosocial behaviors. This is particularly prevalent in the context of environmental sustainability. Through a series of three studies, including a field experiment using a real brand to investigate click-through rates and cost per click, this research finds that a single green tip (versus many tips) enhances brand attitudes among consumers with low environmental concern. By contrast, the number of tips is less consequential for consumers with high environmental concern. Perceived brand authenticity is the mediating mechanism behind the effect. These findings hold across different product categories and different manipulations for the number of tips.