From thinking green to buying green: consumer motivation makes the difference

摘要

Many Americans consider themselves environmentalists, but a number of studies find that, in general, environmental concern does not necessarily translate into green purchasing behavior. Because of the importance of green behaviors in sustainability practices, this paper addresses the need for appropriate green marketing communication strategies to close the gap between consumers' strong environmental concerns and weak engagement in sustainable behaviors. Although research and knowledge about green marketing and advertising continue to grow, most studies using environmental concern to profile consumers and create targeted marketing messages treat environmental concern as a single dimension and eco-friendly behaviors in a broad sense. This study attempts to show that environmental concern has many dimensions, and each dimension may have different effects on different types of sustainable behaviors.