In a new blog post on the CommsWomen platform, Palmer McColl, a student at the University of Alabama, College of Communication and Information Sciences, analyses an article on the effects of green fashion retail and its contribution to behaviors of consumers by Nahmee Lee, Yun Jung Choi, Chorong Youn and Yuri Lee, published by Clothing and Textiles Research by SAGE.
In a 2012 study, published in the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, Nahmee Lee Yun Jung Choi, Chorong Youn and Yuri Lee write about the effects of green fashion retailing and how it contributes to the cultural behaviors of consumers. The main purpose of the study was to understand how eco-friendly fashion campaigns affect the green consciousness and behaviors of consumers.
In recent years, the fashion industry has been under intense scrutiny regarding the effects it has on our environment. From the excessive use of water and chemicals to the enormous amount of waste that is generated from the clothing industry, the need for environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly more evident. One of the best ways to promote this need for environmental sustainability is by fashion brands pushing eco-friendly ad campaigns to consumers. But do these green marketing campaigns actually work? If so, how are they affecting the behaviors of consumers?
One of the main facets of this study study revolved around consumer perception of green campaigns. Green marketing campaigns conducted by fashion brands require careful consideration of public policy processes and environmental concerns in order to persuade consumers effectively. In the article, the authors explain the effects of specific communication tactics and how they can aid in persuading consumers within a marketing campaign such as this one. “In marketing, persuasion is a process through which communication is delivered to change beliefs or attitudes in the intended way (Solomon, 2009). When message receivers, namely the consumers, perceive the eco-friendly messages of the campaigns, they have more positive thoughts than negative ones, because of this, attitudinal changes may occur as the message intends” (Bator & Cialdini, 2000; Kim, Forney, & Arnold, 1997). After analyzing the results of the participants in this study, the authors concluded that consumers had more positive thoughts than negative ones when it came to their overall perception of these eco-friendly campaigns, which later contributed to alterations in green behavior.
Green behavior, also known as sustainable behavior or environmentally friendly behavior, refers to the actions and practices that individuals or organizations adopt in order to reduce their negative impact on the environment. The concept of green behavior and its relation to green fashion retailing was one of the more important factors of this study because it helps us understand how these green-friendly campaigns affect consumers like me and you, who may or may not be steadfast environmentalists. To measure these effects, researchers turn their focus to the influence of green fashion products and their contribution to the sustainable growth of companies and economies. After examining the ways in which these green fashion products affect green behaviors in consumers, they concluded that fashion brands that offer eco-friendly products actually play a big role in the transformation of green behavioral habits in consumers. The main reasoning behind this phenomenon stems from the cognitive exposition between the consumer and the presentation of the product, as well as the experience that the consumer has with the product. Simply put, results of the study showed that consumers will buy an eco-friendly product because of the positive connotation and ideas that come with buying green products, which in turn, causes a positive change in their behaviors associated with eco-friendly consumption culture.
To conclude, this study highlights the significant role that fashion retailers play in cultivating and promoting eco-friendly behaviors through marketing. It also proves that green marketing fashion campaigns have a big impact on consumers’ perception of this topic and that positive consumer perceptions of these efforts lead to increased environmental awareness and sustainable behaviors. With that being said, do you think that fashion companies around the world could be doing more for our environment through the promotion of eco-friendly products and advertising?
A full article can be read using this link.
Reference
Lee, N., Choi, Y. J., Youn, C., & Lee, Y. (2012). Does Green Fashion Retailing Make Consumers More Eco-friendly?: The Influence of Green Fashion Products and Campaigns on Green Consciousness and Behavior. Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, 30(1), 67-82. https://doi.org/10.1177/0887302X12446065