Religion’s influence on consumer response to moral vs. justice message appeals

Abstract

AbstractBuilding from past research on religion and self‐construal, this research is the first known research to explore the relationships among religion (Western vs. Eastern vs. nonreligious), moral vs. justice message appeals, and ethical consumption. In two studies utilizing the context of Fair Trade products, we show differences in the effectiveness of moral and justice message appeals to encourage ethical consumption based on one’s religious or nonreligious affiliation. Study 1 uses an Amazon’s Mechanical Turk (MTurk) sample of 197 adults, finding through MANOVAs that moral (justice) appeals are the most effective at increasing purchase intentions for ethical goods among Western (nonreligious) consumers. Study 2 extends these questions to Western and Eastern religious consumers using a Qualtrics panel sample of 279 adults, finding through MANOVAs that moral (justice) appeals are more effective for Western (Eastern) religious consumers. Equally important, Study 2 results show that these effects occur regardless of religiosity level, emphasizing the need to understand consumers’ religious affiliation more so than religiosity level. Results from both studies also show that change efficacy positively influences Fair Trade purchase intentions which, surprisingly, encourages ethical disengagement. Results also examine the purchase motives of customers, finding nonreligious and Eastern religious consumers to be motivated by concern for others, while Western religious consumers are motivated out of concern for self. In sum, marketing practitioners desiring to encourage ethical consumption should use self‐based moral appeals (e.g., “do this because it is the right thing to do for yourself”) when targeting Western religious consumers or countries with predominantly Western religious followers, while using others‐based justice appeals (e.g., “do this because it is the fair thing to do for others”) when targeting Eastern or nonreligious consumers or countries mostly representing these affiliates.