Which Prompts Better Green Behaviors: A Crying Tree or Smiling Forest?

Which Prompts Better Green Behaviors: A Crying Tree or Smiling Forest?

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH
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Summary

Some ads promoting pro-environmental behaviors put human-like faces on natural images like oceans, volcanos and forests, among others. Marketing scholars ask: which anthropomorphic character is more effective—one that is happy or sad? The answer lies in whether the content is perceived as a sudden disaster or an ongoing tragedy.

Authors Bios:

Chun-Tuan Chang (ctchang@faculty.nsysu.edu.tw) is a Distinguished Professor in National Sun Yat-sen University’s department of business management. Her research spans advertising, consumer decision-making, green marketing, healthcare marketing and corporate philanthropic influences on consumer behavior, smartphone addiction and political advertising/communication.

Hsiao-Ching Lee (hclee@nkust.edu.tw) is a professor at National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology’s department of international business. She studies advertising effects, consumer consumption behavior, green marketing and service marketing.

Yu-Kang Lee (yklee@faculty.nsysu.edu.tw) is a professor in National Sun Yat-sen University’s department of political economy. He is also director of the university’s Lee Teng-hui Centre for Governmental Studies. Lee’s research interests lie in the fields of nonprofit advertising, policy marketing, political communication and smartphone addiction.