When I’m First, I Can Use More: The Divergent Effects of Joint Appeals on Likelihood of Purchasing Sustainable Products

Abstract

While sustainable products are mostly promoted with intrinsic appeals (e.g., “Buy this product and do something good for the environment”), marketers can also incorporate extrinsic appeals (e.g., “Buy this product and show others how sustainable you are”), thus creating joint appeals. However, it remains unclear whether such joint appeals will be more or less effective than intrinsic appeals in driving favorable consumer evaluations of sustainable products. This research investigates the divergent effects of joint versus intrinsic appeals on consumers’ likelihood of purchasing sustainable products and tests the moderating role of pioneering status in this regard. Across two experimental studies, this research demonstrates that joint (vs. intrinsic) appeals will lead to a higher likelihood of purchasing sustainable products from a brand perceived as a pioneer, but to a lower likelihood of purchasing sustainable products from a brand perceived as a follower. Further, these positive versus negative effects of joint appeals are driven by two distinct mechanisms—emotional value and consumer skepticism, respectively. The theoretical and practical contributions of this research are discussed.