Emotion or Information: What Makes Consumers Communicate about Sustainable Apparel Products on Social Media?

Jihyeong Son,Sonali Diddi,Changhyun Nam

doi:10.3390/su14052849

Jihyeong Son, Sonali Diddi + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su14052849

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Abstract

This study investigated how sustainability-related messages of cotton textile and apparel products influence consumers’ attitudes toward the message and interaction with other consumers in social media. Three hundred and eighty-eight online survey data of US consumers investigated the effects of perceived information and emotion toward sustainability practice messages on attitude toward and social interaction with other consumers and the effects of attitude on social interaction in social media. The results confirm that emotion is an influential variable, and, specific, positive emotion is an influential variable for attitude, and attitude influences social interaction with other consumers of sustainability practice messages. Negative emotions influence both attitude and social interaction. The information does not influence attitude but directly impacts social interaction, which may bring the purchase intention of sustainable fashion products. Thus, apparel marketers should consider emotionally sustainable promotion messages when tailoring their brand communications on social media. This study helps clarify the relationships between emotion and social interaction for sustainable fashion products. It also contributes to the theoretical foundation and has implications for sustainable fashion marketing and management in social media.

Highlights

IntroductionSocial media has played an important role in communicating the sustainability aspects of apparel brand products (e.g., educating, sharing brand stories)
Over the past decade, social media has played an important role in communicating the sustainability aspects of apparel brand products.Social media provides customers with opportunities to interact with other consumers and share sustainable product consumption practices [1,2]
This study aims to empirically explore the influence of rational and emotional messages on positive attitudes toward sustainable apparel products, which in turn affect behavioral intentions to interact with other consumers in social media about sustainability-related information

Summary

Introduction

Social media has played an important role in communicating the sustainability aspects of apparel brand products (e.g., educating, sharing brand stories). Social media provides customers with opportunities to interact with other consumers and share sustainable product consumption practices [1,2]. Customers generate word-of-mouth behaviors that can positively impact apparel product communication and consumption, as most consumers tend to trust other consumer’s opinions over business messages they view as advertisements [3]. Information retrieval through social interaction with trusted individuals on online channels has enabled consumers to clarify their purchasing decisions and mitigate risks associated with online apparel purchases [4]. Increased attention to marketing sustainability practices has stimulated interest in research addressing the relationship between sustainability promotion and consumption in social media.

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