Don’t Make Me Feel Guilty! Examining the Effect of a Past Moral Deed on Perceived Irritation with Guilt Appeals in Environmental Advertising

Abstract

An online experiment was conducted to examine a past moral deed’s influence on consumers’ response to guilt appeals in environmental advertising. The findings suggested that a guilt appeal ad increased irritation when participants engaged previously in a moral deed. Further, the results indicate that the perceived irritation mediated the interaction between past moral behaviors (i.e., previously engaged versus not engaged) and green message types (i.e., a guilt appeal versus a nonguilt appeal) and attitude toward the green advertisement and the message’s credibility. The results demonstrate that participants who performed a prior moral deed chose conventional detergent over an eco-friendly detergent when they were exposed to a guilt appeal that promoted recycling. However, no moral licensing behaviors were observed among participants in the nonguilt appeal ad. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed further.