The (in)congruency effects of message framing and image valence on consumers’ responses to green advertising: Focus on issue involvement as a moderator

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of message framing, image valence, and issue involvement on consumers’ advertising attitudes, brand attitudes and purchase intention in the context of green advertising. A 2 (message frame: gain vs. loss) X 2 (image valence: positive vs. negative) between-subjects randomized experimental study was conducted to address the proposed hypotheses. A total of 285 participants of the main study was recruited. This study found congruency between message framing and image valences affected consumers’ advertising and brand attitudes, and purchase intention. Consumers had positive advertising and brand attitudes toward gain-framing with positive image while they had negative advertising and brand attitudes toward loss-framing with negative image. However, for incongruent advertising, the effects of image valence diminished the effects of message framing. Specifically, regardless of message framing, positive images triggered positive advertising and brand attitudes while negative images lead to negative advertising and brand attitudes, and purchase intention. Last, this study found interesting results about issue involvement as a moderator. When consumers with low involvement were exposed to incongruent green advertising, image valence had stronger effects on their advertising and brand attitudes than message framing. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Green advertising
• message framing
• image valence
• issue involvement

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jinhee Lee

Jinhee Lee (Ph.D University of Tennessee, 2017) is an Assistant professor in the Department of Journalism at the Central Michigan University. Her research focuses on sustainability development communication effects, individual characteristics related to sustainability development communication effects, and media effectiveness. E-mail: [email protected]

Moonhee Cho

Moonhee Cho (Ph.D. University of Florida, 2012) is an Associate Professor in the School of Advertising and Public Relations at the University of Tennessee. Her primary research focuses on organization-public relationships, sustainability communication, social/digital media effectiveness, and public engagement. E-mail: [email protected]