Is the Greening of Firms Helping Consumers to Go Green?

Although research supports the notion that consumers look favorably upon firms that implement popular social behaviors like “going green,” little is known about how such practices impact the consumer’s own social attitudes and behaviors. In two experiments, the authors explore this underresearched area in social marketing by examining how a firm’s stated motive for its environmentally friendly behaviors as well as brand loyalty influence consumer attitudes toward, and intentions for, similar behaviors. Implications for social marketers are provided regarding the development of effective social marketing programs. These results suggest that society may best be served when marketers integrate more honesty and transparency into socially responsible claims since consumers are more likely to model their behavior under these circumstances.