Fewer but better: Chinese consumers’ responses to luxury brands using green demarketing

Abstract

ABSTRACT Environmental issues in China have induced widespread concerns since China is the biggest manufacturer in the world, and a large consumer country. Luxury consumers care about whether their consumption is environmentally friendly, but also the prestige of luxury brands. This study focused on luxury brands, investigating the relationship between the green advertising appeal (demarketing vs. traditional green) and Chinese consumers’ attitudes toward the brands. The results of the 2 × 2 study demonstrate that the demarketing advertising appeal can contribute to more positive brand attitudes of consumers because it creates an image of a company that genuinely cares about the environment and thus activates consumers’ impression management concerns. Furthermore, adding conspicuous environmental oriented anti- consumption (EOA) information to advertising can enhance the relationship. Focusing on the previously underexamined Chinese market, these results theoretically contribute to the literature on luxury brands’ green advertising and green demarketing research. In practice, they also provide enlightenment for luxury brands’ marketers to use demarketing as a strategy to attract consumers and public policymakers to reduce consumption and protect the environment at a societal level.