Effect of green advertising attitude on collectivist consumer behavior: an integrative approach

Abstract

Purpose: Unlike traditional products and services, customer motivation to purchase green products/services may be due to non-marketing factors, such as their personal values about health. In this study, the authors aim to propose and validate an integrative model using both advertising attitude factors and health beliefs to explain purchase intention and word of mouth in the context of green marketing. The authors focus specifically on collectivist consumers as values and social norms that tend to be more salient in driving their decisions. Design/methodology/approach: The model was tested empirically using a survey study with 308 Chinese consumers in Hong Kong. The data were analyzed using confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) and partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings: All health beliefs were significant predictors of green advertising attitude. Green satisfaction fully mediates the relationship between green advertising attitude and positive word of mouth for products and services with green advertising for collectivist Chinese consumers. Meanwhile, green satisfaction partially mediates the relationship between green advertising attitude and purchase intention. In addition, green brand equity partially mediates the green advertising attitude–purchase intention/positive word of mouth link. Practical implications: The significant impacts of health belief factors on green advertising attitude present important implications to advertising managers in terms of the use of information appeal in promoting green products/services. Green brand equity should also be developed in order to optimize green advertising effectiveness, especially in the context of collectivist customers. Originality/value: This research is one of the first few studies investigating the mediating role of green satisfaction and green brand equity for collectivist consumer behaviors based on the health belief model (HBM).