Skepticism towards green advertising: A review

Abstract

Green marketing is no more in nascent stage and companies are really doing great to go green like green labeling, packaging but as far as green advertising communications are concern it is still less explored and there is shortage of literature as well (Haytko & Matulich, 2008); (Do Paço & Reis, 2012). (Banerjee et al., 1995) argued that green advertising is a link between the product and the environment and encourage the people for green and sustainable life style and thereof improve the image of the organization socially. It is a tool for creating awareness between the consumers for the environment and stimulate  them to buy the green products and services (Carlson et al., 1993). Environmental claims must be honest and within the legality of government rules and regulations Pranee, C. (2010) and whatever advertising claims have made not only made on final product but also the raw material used, packaging, labelling (Awad, 2011). In the future if the prospect of green advertising has increased then it will also raise the question of environmental claim because sometimes whatever claims made by the companies are not true and it leads to skepticism and shorten the effectiveness of green advertising communication. Thus, in order to maintain the effectiveness, it is necessary for the companies to design better communication strategies of green advertising (Mohr et al., 1998). The purpose of this study is to find out the factors which influences consumer’s scepticism towards green advertising and following factors are considered for study environmentally concerned consumer (ECC), conservative behaviour (CB), green buying behaviour (GBB) and the last one is gender (G). Consumers sometimes reflect their disbelief towards green advertising campaigns and in general the consumers who care about the environment doesn’t take green advertising convincing and but exaggerated and suggests that green advertising must be true and ethical and must communicate the environmental aspect of products offered (Souza & Taghian, 2011). It is seen that more the consumers concerned about the environment the less he cares about the green advertising campaigns and believe that green advertising is false and misleading  but it is also suggests that the degree of environmental concerned have a effect on the degree of deception perceive by the consumers in an advertising campaigns (Newell et al., 1998). It is evident from the previous studies that higher degree of scepticism has seen in the consumers if there are any environment claims are depicted on product’s packaging and labelling which in turn decline the consumer’s conservative behaviour towards environment (recycling, energy saving etc) and all this has happened because of false information given by the organizations (Mohr et al., 1998). Those consumers who are interested in buying the green products are generally sceptical towards green advertising claims in general (Shrum et al., 1995). It is also seen that to avoid the risk of purchasing the green products consumers form a sceptical attitude towards green advertisements (Laroche et al., 2001). The last factor is gender and from the previous study it is believe that women are more conscious regarding environment and more positively inclined towards green product purchase decision and green advertising (Haytko & Matulich, 2008). From the above discussions it is clear that in order to make green advertising communication effective the advertisers/practitioner in the market must segment the consumers on the ground of psychography and demography and provide the truthful and credible green advertising claims accordance with the rules and regulation of government which create a positive attitude.