The Role of Social Media in Promoting Sustainable Brands: Influencing Consumer Perceptions and Behavior Towards Sustainable Products
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47577/sustainability.v8i.11741Keywords:
sustainability, social media, consumer behavior, sustainable brands, green marketing, digital communication, influencer marketing, greenwashingAbstract
Sustainability has become a primary concern for consumers and businesses, and the need for brands to communicate their environmental initiatives effectively has significantly increased. Social media platforms have become powerful tools for shaping consumer perceptions and behaviors toward sustainable products. This study investigates how social media influences consumer trust, engagement, and purchase intentions related to sustainable brands. The study uses a mixed-method approach that includes qualitative meta-analysis, case studies, and a quantitative online survey. The study examines how transparency, influencer marketing, and consumer engagement on social media impact consumer attitudes and behaviors. Results indicate significant correlations between social media transparency and purchase intentions. According to the study results, influencer credibility is crucial in driving engagement with sustainable products. Case studies of brands such as Patagonia, IKEA, Unilever, and Tesla demonstrate how real-world companies use social media to promote sustainability, which further confirms the relevance of the study's findings.
References
White, K., Habib, R., & Hardisty, D. J. (2021). How to shift consumer behaviors to be more sustainable: A literature review and guiding framework. Journal of Marketing, 85(3), 24-49.
Nielsen. (2018). The Nielsen Global Responsibility Report: Doing Well by Doing Good.
Bauer, M. W., Allum, N., & Miller, S. (2018). What can we learn from 25 years of PUS survey research? Public Understanding of Science, 26(4), 460-474.
Accenture. (2022). Sustainability and Consumer Behavior. Retrieved from https://www.accenture.com
Harrison, R., Newholm, T., & Shaw, D. (2005). The Ethical Consumer. Sage Publications.
Holt, D. B. (2012). Constructing sustainable consumption: From ethical consumerism to political consumerism. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 644(1), 236-255.
Bulmer, S., Palakshappa, N., Dodds, S., & Harper, S. (2024). Sustainability, brand authenticity and Instagram messaging. Journal of Business Research, 175, 114547.
Vemuri, S., Jahnavi, P., Manasa, L., & Pallavi, D. R. (2024). The Effectiveness of Influencer Marketing in Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles and Consumer Behaviours. EXPLORING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH, 206.
Sesini, G., Castiglioni, C., & Lozza, E. (2020). New trends and patterns in sustainable consumption: A systematic review and research agenda. Sustainability, 12(15), 5935.
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22.
Mangold, W. G., & Faulds, D. J. (2009). Social media: The new hybrid element of the promotion mix. Business Horizons, 52(4), 357-365.
Gensler, S., Völckner, F., Liu-Thompkins, Y., & Wiertz, C. (2013). Managing brands in the social media environment. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 27(4), 242-256.
Shafiq, M. A., Ziaullah, M., Abbas, Q., Ali, M. A., & Iqbal, S. (2023). Going Green on social media: Exploring the Effect of Firm-Generated Content on Brand Trust and Purchase Decision in Pakistan with a Focus on Environmental Concern. International Journal of Social Science & Entrepreneurship, 3(3), 187-207.
Schmuck, D. (2021). Social media influencers and environmental communication. In The handbook of international trends in environmental communication (pp. 373-387). Routledge.
Kaplan, A. M., & Haenlein, M. (2010). Users of the world, unite! The challenges and opportunities of social media. Business Horizons, 53(1), 59-68.
Chaudhuri, A., & Holbrook, M. B. (2001). The chain of effects from brand trust and brand affect to brand performance: The role of brand loyalty. Journal of Marketing, 65(2), 81-93.
Jha, A. K., & Verma, N. K. (2023). Social media sustainability communication: an analysis of firm behaviour and stakeholder responses. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(2), 723-742.
Jha, A. K., & Verma, N. K. (2023). Social media sustainability communication: an analysis of firm behaviour and stakeholder responses. Information Systems Frontiers, 25(2), 723-742.
Men, L. R., & Tsai, W. S. (2013). Beyond liking or following: Understanding public engagement on social networking sites. Journal of Public Relations Research, 25(3), 292-312.
Petty, R. E., & Cacioppo, J. T. (1986). Communication and Persuasion: Central and Peripheral Routes to Attitude Change. Springer-Verlag.
Jha, A. K., & Verma, N. K. (2024). Social media platforms and user engagement: A multi-platform study on one-way firm sustainability communication. Information Systems Frontiers, 26(1), 177-194.
Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. A. (2011). Who are the social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 90-92.
Morais, C. F., Pires, P. B., Delgado, C., & Santos, J. D. (2023). Intention to purchase sustainable fashion: influencer and worth-of-mouth determinants. In Social Media and Online Consumer Decision Making in the Fashion Industry (pp. 160-185). IGI Global.
Buerke, A., Straatmann, T., Lin-Hi, N., & Müller, K. (2017). Consumer awareness and sustainability-focused value orientation as motivating factors of responsible consumer behavior. Review of Managerial Science, 11, 959-991.
Ladhari, R., Massa, E., & Skandrani, H. (2020). YouTube vloggers' popularity and influence: The roles of homophily, emotional connection, and expertise. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 54, 102027.
Lou, C., & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer marketing: How message value and credibility affect consumer trust and purchase intention on social media. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58-73.
. De Jong, M., Huluba, G., & Beldad, A. (2021). Different shades of greenwashing: Consumers' reactions to environmental lies, half-lies, and organizations taking credit for following legal obligations. Journal of Business and Technical Communication, 35(1), 142-169.
. Schmuck, D. (2021). Social media influencers and environmental communication. In The handbook of international trends in environmental communication (pp. 373-387). Routledge.
. Fischer, D., Selm, H., Sundermann, A., & Storksdieck, M. (2020). Storytelling for sustainability: A definition and its implications for education and communication. In Storytelling for Sustainability in Higher Education (pp. 38-51). Routledge.
. Kwon, K., Lee, J., Wang, C., & Diwanji, V. S. (2024). From green advertising to greenwashing: Content analysis of global corporations’ green advertising on social media. International Journal of Advertising, 43(1), 97-124.
. TerraChoice. (2010). The sins of greenwashing: Home and family edition. TerraChoice Group.
. Nguyen, T. T. H., Yang, Z., Nguyen, N., Johnson, L. W., & Cao, T. K. (2019). Greenwash and green purchase intention: The mediating role of green skepticism. Sustainability, 11(9), 2653.
. Wang, Y., Chowdhury Ahmed, S., Deng, S., & Wang, H. (2019). Success of social media marketing efforts in retaining sustainable online consumers: An empirical analysis on the online fashion retail market. Sustainability, 11(13), 3596.
. Vladimirova, K., Henninger, C. E., Alosaimi, S. I., Brydges, T., Choopani, H., Hanlon, M., ... & Zhou, S. (2024). Exploring the influence of social media on sustainable fashion consumption: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Journal of Global Fashion Marketing, 15(2), 181-202.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Dario Sipos
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
