As environmental issues due to climate change become increasingly severe, consumer interest in eco-friendly products is growing. This study aims to examine how the advertising effectiveness of eco-friendly products varies depending on self-oriented me...
As environmental issues due to climate change become increasingly severe, consumer interest in eco-friendly products is growing. This study aims to examine how the advertising effectiveness of eco-friendly products varies depending on self-oriented messages versus social-oriented messages. Specifically, the analysis considers the type of product (public product vs. private product) and consumer characteristics (environmental consciousness and empathy).
The study analyzed the advertising effectiveness based on the type of product and message orientation through experiments involving lotion and padding. Additionally, Study 1 used candles as a private product and eco-bags as a public product to investigate the effects. Study 2 employed the same product type, toothbrushes, to ensure consistency and clearly identify the impact of product visibility on advertising effectiveness. Specifically, Study 1 analyzed the effect of product visibility on advertising effectiveness using candles and eco-bags, products with different levels of visibility. Candles are primarily used privately, while eco-bags, used in public spaces, were selected as highly visible products. Study 2 utilized toothbrushes to minimize variables related to product characteristics and more clearly analyze the effects of message orientation. The purpose of this study was to better understand the advertising effectiveness of eco-friendly products based on message presentation. Furthermore, it aimed to determine which advertising messages consumers respond to more positively when the product type is the same and how effective specific advertising messages are in emphasizing eco-friendly products.
The analysis results indicated that for public products, social-oriented messages had a more positive advertising effect, demonstrating that the advertising effectiveness of self-oriented messages versus social-oriented messages varies according to the type of product (public product vs. private product). Additionally, higher environmental consciousness was associated with more positive advertising effects of social-oriented messages compared to self-oriented ones. Lastly, higher empathy levels made social-oriented advertising messages more effective than self-oriented ones.
In Study 1, although all hypotheses were rejected, social-oriented messages had a more positive effect for the public product (eco-bag), while self-oriented messages were relatively more effective for the private product (candle). This suggests that social-oriented messages are more effective for public products due to their connection with social image. In Study 2, contrary to this study's findings, social-oriented messages were more effective regardless of the product's type (private vs. public). This outcome is attributed to the uniformity of the product, as the same product type (toothbrush) was used. Since the basic characteristics or properties of the product did not change, consumers likely paid more attention to the product's social value or eco-friendly aspects, making the messages more persuasive.
In conclusion, this empirical study on the advertising effectiveness of eco-friendly products suggests that varying the appeal method of advertising messages (self-oriented vs. social-oriented) based on the product's type (public product vs. private product) and the target customer's environmental consciousness and empathy can enhance advertising effectiveness. Furthermore, not only for various product types like candles and eco-bags but also for identical product types like toothbrushes, the way messages are delivered and how they emphasize social value significantly impacts consumer response. Therefore, when developing advertising strategies for eco-friendly products, it is crucial to focus on how the product can bring about positive social change rather than merely listing its environmental benefits.