Advances In Management

Vol. 6 (9) Sep. (2013)

Case Study:

Green Marketing: Impact of Green Advertising on

Consumer Purchase Intention
Gandhi Ankit1* and Rao Mayur2
1. SGJ College of Management and Technology MBA Program, Mandvi (Gujarat), INDIA
2. J.H. Patel College of Management and Technology MBA Program, Anand (Gujarat), INDIA
*ankitrgandhi@gmail.com

Abstract

Green advertising can be seen as any advertisement that may

explicitly or implicitly address the relationship between a
product and the biophysical environment.2 Green advertising
promotes products, services, ideas or organizations ability to
help or reduce environmental harm.

Indian advertising industry has dramatically developed

as consumers concern over the impact of environmental
degradation on their lives and interests which result in
a significant sale of green products. This study aims to
explore how green advertising affects consumers
purchase intention of green products. The data were
collected from students studying in Management
Institute. The research findings reveal that consumer
attitude toward green advertising significantly
influences consumer purchase intention of green
products.

There are various dimensions in green advertising: One is

education-focused which aims to enhance consumers
understanding towards the nature and environment; another is
commercial-focused which is designed to increase the sales
of products or services; some concern about the improvement
and enhancement of firms green image in order to generate
long-term customer loyalty.2

Review of Literature

Keywords: Green Marketing, Green Advertising, Purchase

Intention, Consumer Behavior, Environmental Advertising.

Batra and Ray3 highlighted that it is necessary to

investigate the differences between consumers affective
response which is consumers feelings from ad exposure
and cognitive response which is consumers judgments
towards the advertisement.

Introduction
From the beginning of 1970s, a significant amount of
research has been conducted on consumer purchase behavior
for environmentally friendly products. Many variables were
shown across the globe to drive consumer choice in regards
to purchasing environmentally friendly products. The
growing social and regulatory concerns for the environment
lead to an increasing number of companies to consider green
issues as a major source of strategic change. In the last
decade, consumers have become more enlightened on
environmental issues.

Carlson et al5 showed that Consumers who are

environmental concerned normally have generated
positive attitudes towards green advertising and
environmental issues.
Aaker et al1 explored the relationship between warmth and
advertising responses such as liking of the ad and
purchase likelihood through testing ads with warm and
other execution strategies. They also test the effects of
sequences of commercials on warmth responses and on
the impact of the advertisement.

The most effective tool that the marketers and advertisers

often use to get consumers attention is advertising which
helps consumers to elaborate their knowledge about product
attributes and specification.4 Zinkhan and Carlson15 defined
green advertising as the appeals that try to fulfill consumers
needs and aspiration regarding environmental concern and
health issues from different perspectives including ecology,
sustainability and pollution-free messages. Many scholars
have engaged themselves in the study of how green message
can affect the audience and the organizations that are looking
forward to invest more in advertising campaigns by injecting
environmental claim.

Rationale of the Study

This research is based on the consumer purchase intention
with regards to green advertising. The research emphasizes
on the how green advertising affects the buying behavior of
the consumers. This research helps the green marketer to
understand the kind of green marketing which can influence
consumer buying behavior. As the recent advertisements are
hyperbolic, here the research shows that green marketer needs
to validate all the express and implied environment claims
appearing in the advertisement. Findings from this work also
suggest that how the green marketer can influence consumer
buying intention by motivating them through green
advertising.

Green Advertising: Zinkhan and Carlson15 defined green

advertising as promotional messages that may appeal to the
needs and desires of environmentally concerned consumers.

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Advances In Management

Vol. 6 (9) Sep. (2013)

Data Collection

as the sample, with a relatively homogeneous age group. The

study is based on Primary data and Primary data has its own
limitation which might affect the study. Statistical tools have
its own limitations and it will affect the present study. As
personal interview method is used in the study, there may be
chances that the respondent may give fake answers. As the
sample size is relatively small and it cannot represent the
whole population, so that may affect the study.

The questionnaires were distributed to the students of the

Management Institute in Anand. The youth were identified as
individuals between the ages of 18 to 25. Youth are chosen as
they can be regarded as the future generation of our country
and are part of growing group of consumers.

Hypothesis of the Study

i.

H0: Believability of the Green Ads is independent of

Age Groups.

ii.

H0: Convincingness of the

independent of Age Groups.

iii.

H0: Motivation of green ads to purchase a product is

independent of age group.

Green

Ads

Research Findings
Hypothesis 1

is

H0: Believability of the Green Ads is independent of Age

Groups
H1: Believability of the Green Ads is not independent of Age
Groups.

Limitation of the Study: The current study utilized students

Table 1
Age Group
18-24

25-35

35-60
Total

SD
Fo
0
Fe
0.78
(fo-fe)2/fe
1
Fo
1
Fe
0.21
(fo-fe)2/fe
2.97
Fo
0
Fe
0
2
(fo-fe) /fe
0
1
Chi Square calculation

D
0
0.00
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

N
10
7.89
0.56
0
2.1
1
0
0
0
10

A
16
18.15
0.25
7
4.84
0.96
0
0
0
23

SA
19
18.15
0.04
4
4.84
0.15
0
0
0
23

(fo-fe)2/fe

Total
45

1.849
12
5.075
0
0
57
6.924

At, = 0.05, degree of freedom (df) = (r-1)*(c-1) = (3-1) (51) =8 is 2 tab. = 15.507

Here the observed value is less than critical value so we will

accept H0. So now we can say that the consumers believe in
green advertisement no matter what is their age.

2 cal = 6.924 < 2 tab. = 15.507

Table 2
Age Group
18-24

25-35

35-60

Fo
Fe
(fo-fe)2/fe
Fo
Fe
(fo-fe)2/fe
Fo
Fe
(fo-fe)2/fe

SD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

D
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

N
10
11.57
0.22
5
3.42
0.72
0
0
0

A
24
20
0.8
2
5.92
2.59
0
0
0

SA
10
12.35
0.46
6
3.64
1.53
0
0
0

(fo-fe)2/fe

Total
45

1.48
12
4.84
0
0

TOTAL

57
Chi Square calculation

6.32

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Advances In Management

Vol. 6 (9) Sep. (2013)

Hypothesis 2

Here the observed value is less than critical value so we will

accept H0. So now we can say that the consumers are
convinced by the green advertisement no matter what is their
age.

H0: Convincingness of the Green Ads is independent of Age

Groups.
H1: Convincingness of the Green Ads is not independent of
Age Groups.

Hypothesis 3
H0: Motivation of green ads to purchase a product is
independent of age group.

At, = 0.05, degree of freedom (df) = (r-1)*(c-1) = (3-1) (51) =8 is 2 tab. = 15.507

H1: Motivation of green ads to purchase a product is not

independent of age group.

2 cal = 6.32 < 2 tab. = 15.507

Table 3
Age Group
18-24

25-35

35-60

Fo
Fe
(fo-fe)2/fe
Fo
Fe
(fo-fe)2/fe
Fo
Fe
(fo-fe)2/fe

TOTAL

Yes
36
37.1
0.032
11
9.89
0.124
0
0
0
47
Chi Square calculation

At, = 0.05, degree of freedom (df) = (r-1)*(c-1) = (3-1) (21) is 2 tab. = 5.991

No
9
7.89
0.156
1
2.1
0.576
0
0
0
10

(fo-fe)2/fe

Total
45

0.188
12
0.7
0
0
57
0.888

The marketer should motivate the positive consumer attitude

towards green advertising so that it may influence the
consumer purchase intention. The more positive attitude
consumers have towards a green advertisement, the stronger
intention the consumers will have to perform the behavior
under his or her control. In addition, the application of green
methods in production and green product attributes should be
emphasized to convince and motivate consumers to purchase
the green product. A green advertising campaign should be
associated with a clear, transparent and understandable
environmental claim through which the firms will be able to
grab the consumers attention.

2 cal = 0.888 < 2 tab. = 5.991

Here the observed value is less than critical value so we will
accept H0. So now we can say that the consumers are
motivated from green advertisement no matter what is their
age.

Conclusion
Based on the research findings, we can conclude that a
systematic and well-planned scheme is needed to launch a
green advertising campaign. Green marketing strategy should
be applied so that the firms will be able to establish a strong
corporate image of being green and achieve optimistic sales
of green products.

References
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advertising: measurement, impact and sequence effects, Journal of
Consumer Research, 12 (March), 365381 (1986)

Based on the research findings it has been revealed that

advertising plays an important role in influencing the
consumer in purchasing the green product. There is lot of
concern for provision of detail information and actual
benefits of the green products in green advertisement. In
todays hyperbolic advertising world, the marketer should not
exaggerate the theme of green advertising. In contrast, the
message should be specific, trustful and sincere. By doing so,
the companies will be able to gain credibility and reputation
from the public to a certain extent.

2. Banerjee S., Gulas C.S. and Iyer E., Shades of green: A

multidimensional analysis of environmental advertising, Journal of
Advertising, 24 (2), 2131 (1995)
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acceptance of advertising, Journal of Consumer Research, 13 (2),
234 (1986)
4. Buda R. and Zhang Y., Consumer product evaluation: the
interactive effect of message framing, presentation order and source
credibility, Journal of Product & Brand Management, 9 (4), 229242 (2000)

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Advances In Management

Vol. 6 (9) Sep. (2013)

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(Received 05th June 2013, accepted 04th August 2013)

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