Environmental advertising : consumer processing of true green and green wash advertisements

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine whether consumers of different involvement with the environment could make the distinction between true green and greenwash advertisements. This type of research into advertising is necessary in an age where persuasion is strong and morality unrestricted. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (F.l .M) was used to test the hypotheses that environmentally high involved consumers would take the central route to persuasion, in contrast to environmentally low-involved consumers who would take the peripheral route to persuasion. A qualitative paradigm was used to test the study hypotheses, coupled with a small-scale quantitative paradigm, to support the findings statistically. focus groups were the preferred research method, as unrestrictive discussions and group dynamics tend to yield a greater number of insights than other methods of research. A thematic analysis of the study results indicated that the research hypotheses could be accepted completely. This was due to the fact that low-involved as well as high-involved participants were manipulated by the false claims of green wash advertisements. Hence, regulation within the field of environmental advertising is called upon.