When environmental messages should be assertive: examining the moderating role of effort investment

Abstract

The research reported in this article examined whether environmental advertisers who use assertive language can expect to have varying persuasive impacts depending on how much effort message recipients invest in completing environmentally friendly requests. The findings indicate that assertive messages cause individuals to show more favorable attitudes and behavioral intentions toward recycling when they invest significant effort in following the requests. In contrast, nonassertive messages are more effective for individuals who invest little effort. Furthermore, perceived issue importance mediates the interaction between message assertiveness and effort investment for predicting attitudes toward recycling, and in turn enhances intentions to recycle.

Keywords:

• environmental advertising persuasion
• message assertiveness
• effort investment
• perceived issue importance

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tae Hyun Baek

Tae Hyun Baek (Ph.D., University of Georgia) is an assistant professor of Integrated Strategic Communication in the School of Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky. His primary research focuses on the role of consumer motivation and emotion in advertising persuasion, strategic branding, and digital media effects. His research has appeared in the Journal of Advertising, International Journal of Advertising, Psychology & Marketing, and Journal of Services Marketing.

Sukki Yoon

Sukki Yoon (Ph.D., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign) is an associate professor of marketing in the College of Business at Bryant University. His research interests include consumer behavior and psychology, advertising persuasion, and branding. He has published articles in the Journal of Advertising, Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Business Research, and Journal of Consumer Marketing.

Seeun Kim

Seeun Kim (M.S., Florida State University) is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism Management at the University of of Tennessee. Her research interests include digital retailing and consumer-brand relationships.