Do Consumers Prefer Sad Faces On Eco-Friendly Products?

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of advertising appeals on consumers’ intentions to purchase environmentally friendly products and services. Specifically, the authors focus on the moderating roles of product facial expressions. Three between-subjects experiments were conducted to reveal the underlying mechanism. Results indicate that, for functional (versus emotional) appeals, positive (versus negative) facial expressions combined with utilitarian (versus hedonic) products are more likely to elicit higher green purchase intention. In these interactions, processing fluency and greenwashing perception play mediating roles.