TY - JOUR
T1 - How to shape consumer reaction to corporate environmental communications
T2 - accentuating the negative to build trust can elicit favorable intentions and behaviors
AU - Pino, Giovanni
AU - Viglia, Giampaolo
AU - Nataraajan, Rajan
AU - Peluso, Alessandro M.
AU - Pichierri, Marco
PY - 2022/3/1
Y1 - 2022/3/1
N2 - Companies may inform consumers about their pro-environmental actions by using either positively or negatively framed messages that, respectively, highlight the possible benefits deriving from such actions versus the drawbacks deriving from inaction. It is still unclear, however, how these two communication tactics influence consumers’ intentions and behaviors. Three studies demonstrate that negatively framed messages have a positive effect on company trustworthiness, which, in turn, exerts a favorable influence on message receivers’ intentions and behaviors. Such an effect holds only when receivers are concerned about environmental problems and perceive the company as potentially harmful to the environment. The results highlight the importance of using an appropriate framing to foster trust in environmentally responsible companies.
AB - Companies may inform consumers about their pro-environmental actions by using either positively or negatively framed messages that, respectively, highlight the possible benefits deriving from such actions versus the drawbacks deriving from inaction. It is still unclear, however, how these two communication tactics influence consumers’ intentions and behaviors. Three studies demonstrate that negatively framed messages have a positive effect on company trustworthiness, which, in turn, exerts a favorable influence on message receivers’ intentions and behaviors. Such an effect holds only when receivers are concerned about environmental problems and perceive the company as potentially harmful to the environment. The results highlight the importance of using an appropriate framing to foster trust in environmentally responsible companies.
KW - message framing
KW - corporatecommunications
KW - trustworthiness
KW - environmental concern
U2 - 10.2501/JAR-2022-005
DO - 10.2501/JAR-2022-005
M3 - Article
SN - 0021-8499
VL - 62
JO - Journal of Advertising Research
JF - Journal of Advertising Research
IS - 1
ER -