From green advertising to sustainable behavior: a systematic literature review through the lens of value-belief-norm framework

Abstract

In the current ecological context, advertising and communication emerge as valuable tools for raising awareness and encouraging sustainable behavior. For this communication to be effective, it is necessary to understand the process through which a green message translates into sustainable decisions and how it interacts with individuals’ pro-environmental predispositions and intrinsic motivations. From this perspective, we conducted a systematic review of the literature linking two bodies of research related to the effectiveness of green advertising, on the one hand, and the determinants of pro-environmental behavior, on the other. The main contribution of this article is the development of a conceptual framework that is specific to green advertising. This framework combines the stages of cognitive processing of persuasive messages and the value-belief-norm theory of environmentalism, as well as other internal and external factors (e.g. personal capabilities, contextual factors, and affective variables). Based on our results, we identify gaps and opportunities for future research.

Keywords:

• Green advertising
• sustainable behavior
• systematic review
• VBN theory

Disclosure statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests within the context of this work.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pedro Augusto Bertucci Lima

Pedro Augusto Bertucci Lima is currently a PhD student in the Department of Production Engineering at the São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru School of Engineering. His graduation was in Production Engineering at UNESP. His main research areas are Pro-environmental behavior, Sustainable and Human Development, Circular Economy, Marketing, and Education. He has published in journals including Cleaner Logistics and Supply Chain and Cleaner Production Letters. He can be reached through email: [email protected].

Fernanda Pereira Sartori Falguera

Fernanda Pereira Sartori Falguera holds a PhD in Production Engineering from the São Paulo State University (UNESP), Bauru School of Engineering. Her graduation was in Information Systems and her Master’s in Computer Science at UNESP. Her main research area is Sustainability and Human Development. She also has an MBA in Strategic Management at University of São Paulo (USP), a specialization in Business Statistics and Analysis at Rice University, and more than 20 years of professional experience in the Information Technology sector, leading teams and projects. She can be reached through email: [email protected].

Hermes Moretti Ribeiro da Silva

Hermes Moretti Ribeiro da Silva holds a PhD in Business Administration from Fundação Getúlio Vargas (FGV), a Master’s in Business Administration at the University of São Paulo (USP), School of Economics, Business and Accounting. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Production Engineering at the São Paulo State University (Unesp), Bauru School of Engineering. He is also a Professor in the Postgraduate Program in Business at the Luiz de Queiroz College of Agriculture/USP. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of GEPROS Journal. He can be reached through email: [email protected].

Suely Maciel

Suely Maciel is Professor in the Postgraduate Program of Media and Technology (PPGMiT), coordinator of Biblioteca Falada (Spoken Library) Project and leader of the Research Group in Languages and Accessible Media (Gelima), at the São Paulo State University (UNESP). She integrates the coordination of the Research Network on Accessibility, Diversity and Inclusion (Repadi). She graduated in Social Communication - Journalism, Master’s in Semiotics and General Linguistics and PhD in Communication Sciences, with a Post-Doctoral in the same field. She can be reached through email: [email protected].

Enzo Barberio Mariano

Enzo Barberio Mariano has completed his undergraduate, master’s and doctorate in Production Engineering at the University of São Paulo (USP). He also has a degree in Pedagogy at the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar). He is currently a Professor at the Department of Production Engineering and coordinator of the graduate program in Production Engineering at the São Paulo State University (Unesp), Bauru School of Engineering. His main research area is Data Envelopment Analysis, Sustainability and Human Development. He can be reached through email: [email protected].

Leila Elgaaied-Gambier

Leila Elgaaied-Gambier is an Associate Professor and Head of the Marketing Department at TBS Education, France. Her research interests deal with the determinants of consumers’ pro-environmental behavior and the effectiveness of pro-environmental regulation and advertising. Her work has been published in leading journals including, the Journal of Business Ethics, Ecological Economics, the Journal of Business Research and Psychology & Marketing. She can be reached through email: [email protected].