BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO ĐẠI HỌC KINH TÉ THÀNH PHỐ HÒ CHÍ MINH BÁO CÁO TỐNG KẾT ĐÈ TÀI NGHIÊN cứu KHOA HỌC THAM GIA XÉT GIẢI THƯỞNG ‘’NHÀ NGHIÊN cứũ TRẺ UEH” NĂM 2024 < THE EFFECTIVENESS OF EMOTIONAL APPEAL TECHNIQUE IN GREEN MARKETING ON PRO-ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOR OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS IN HO CHI MINH CITY > Thuộc nhóm chuyên ngành: Kinh tê TP. Hồ Chí Minh, tháng 02/2024 1 The Effectiveness Of Emotional Appeal Technique In Green Marketing On Pro-Environmental Behavior Of University Students In Ho Chi Minh City ABSTRACT This study investigates the effectiveness of the emotional appeal technique in green marketing on pro-environmental behaviors of university students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. With a growing concern for environmental sustainability and increased adoption of green consumption practices, understanding the impact of marketing strategies on pro-environmental behavior is crucial. Through quantitative research, data were collected from a diverse sample of 215 university students, encompassing various demographic and socioeconomic backgrounds.
The results indicate a significant positive relationship between emotional appeal and pro-environmental behavior. Additionally, the research contributes to the existing literature by presenting tangible evidence regarding the effects of emotional appeal in green marketing on consumer behavior in the context of a rapidly evolving market landscape. The implications of these findings for both commercial and social aspects are also discussed. Keywords: emotional appeal; pro-environmental behavior; consumers ' guilt; environmental consciousness; skepticism toward green marketing; moral disengagement; green purchase intention 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT.
1 TABLE OF CONTENTS. 2 LIST OF TABLES. 4 LIST OF FIGURES. 5 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS.
Scope of study. 11 CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT. Skepticism Toward Green Marketing. Pro-Environmental Behavior.
Green Purchase Intention. Research framework and hypothesis development. 24 3 CHAPTER 03: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY - QUANTITATIVE METHOD. Design and sample.
Data analysis method. Descriptive statistics analysis.40 CHAPTER 04: DATA ANALYSIS AND RESULTS. Assessment of measurement scales. Assessment of reliability and validity.
Common method bias (CMB) and VIF. Assessment of structural model. 49 CHAPTER 05: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION. Limitations and further research.
81 4 LIST OF TABLES Table 2. Assessment of Reliability and Validity Stage I. Assessment of Reliability and Validity Stage II. Scale Accuracy Analysis: Discriminant ValidityAssessment.
Inner VIF Values. Formative Measurement Model Results. Structural Model Quality. Results of Testing The Magnitude of The Effect f2 in TheModel.
Results of Testing The Predictive Relevance of TheStructural Model Q2. Structural Model Results. 52 5 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2. Proposed Research Model.
Research Model in Stage 1. Research Model in Stage II. The Impact of Factors. 52 6 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS No.
Abbreviations Words 1 AVE Average Variance Extracted 2 CB-SEM Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling 3 CG Consumers' Guilt 4 CMB Common Method Bias 5 CR Composite Reliability 6 EA Emotional Appeal 7 EC Environmental Consciousness 8 FTU Foreign Trade University 9 GPI Green Purchase Intention 10 HCMC Ho Chi Minh City 11 HTMT Heterotrait-Monotrait 12 MD Moral Disengagement 13 MIT Moral Foundation Theory 14 PEB Pro-Environmental Behavior 15 PLS Partial Least Squares 16 PLS-SEM Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling 17 SM Skepticism Toward Green Marketing 18 TRA Theory of Reasoned Action 19 UEH University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City 7 20 VIF Variance Inflation Factor 21 VLƯ Van Lang University 22 WOM Word Of Mouth 23 (R) Reversed Item 8 CHAPTER 01: INTRODUCTION 1. Research background The growing concern over environmental sustainability has spurred increased interest in green marketing strategies aimed at promoting eco-friendly buying behaviors among consumers (Eneizan, 2015). In recent years, marketers have increasingly relied on the emotional appeal technique as a means to influence consumer attitudes and behaviors toward environmentally sustainable products. One of the prevailing emotions harnessed in green marketing campaigns is guilt, which taps into individuals* sense of responsibility and culpability for environmental degradation (Coulter and Pinto, 1995).
Ho Chi Minh City, as a bustling urban center and economic hub of Vietnam, presents a compelling context for examining the effectiveness of emotional appeal in green marketing, particularly among university students. The youth demographic, with its increasing awareness of environmental issues and disposable income, represents a critical target market for green products and initiatives (Majhi, 2020). Previous research has explored various emotional appeal strategies in green marketing, including proud, admiring, guilt, and disdainful appeal and their impact on consumer altitudes and behaviors (Wang and Wu, 2017). Studies have suggested that guilt, in particular, can serve as a powerful motivator for pro-environmental actions, as individuals seek to alleviate their feelings of guilt through environmentally responsible behaviors and consumption choices (Coulter and Pinto, 1995).
However, despite the growing interest in the emotional appeal in green marketing, there remains a gap in the literature regarding its effectiveness among specific demographic groups, such as university students in urban settings like Ho Chi Minh City. Understanding how emotional appeal, particularly guilt, influences the purchase intentions of university students towards environmentally sustainable products is crucial for marketers and policymakers seeking to promote sustainable consumption behaviors in rapidly urbanizing regions. This study aims to address this gap by examining the effectiveness of guilt-based emotional appeal in green marketing on the pro-environmental behavior of university students in Ho Chi Minh City. By investigating the relationship between emotional 9 appeal and pro-environmental behavior, this research seeks to provide valuable insights into the role of consumers' emotions in shaping their behavior in the context of sustainability.
Through quantitative surveys, this study aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on green marketing effectiveness and give practical implications for marketers aiming to engage young consumers in sustainable consumption practices. Problem statement In recent years, the escalating concern for environmental sustainability and according to a survey conducted by the Business Association of High-Quality Vietnam Product (2023), the burgeoning adoption of green consumption practices in Vietnam have propelled eco-conscious products to the forefront of consumer preferences. Notably, consumers, including the emerging Gen z cohort, exhibit a heightened inclination towards pro-environmental behaviors, as evidenced by their willingness to invest in sustainable goods and prioritize responsible consumption practices (Do, 2023). Concurrently, businesses and corporations are increasingly harnessing green marketing strategies to leverage this trend and promote environmentally responsible behaviors among consumers.
However, amidst the proliferation of such marketing tactics, there remains a critical gap in understanding the efficacy of emotional appeal within green marketing initiatives, specifically in influencing pro-environmental behavior among university students in Ho Chi Minh City. This research seeks to address this gap by examining the impact of emotional appeal in green marketing on the pro-environmental behavior of university students in Ho Chi Minh City. By focusing on this demographic with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, this study aims to provide nuanced insights into the attitudes and behaviors of university students, while the majority of them are currently in Vietnam’s Gen z age range. They are who represent the future workforce and key drivers of Ho Chi Minh City’s evolving market landscape.
Through a comprehensive exploration of emotional appeal’s effectiveness in stimulating pro- environmental behavior, this research aims to inform businesses, marketers, and policymakers on strategies to effectively engage environmentally conscious consumers and foster a culture of sustainability in Vietnam's dynamic market environment. Research objectives - To examine the impact of the emotional appeals technique in green marketing on the pro-environmental behavior of university students in Ho Chi Minh City. - To discuss the results and propose some recommendations, which relate to both commercial and social aspects. Research subjects - Research subjects: Emotional appeal technique in green marketing through advertisement on pro-environmental behavior.
- Participants: University students in Ho Chi Minh City. Scope of study - Location: The survey was conducted within the area of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. - Time: The data was collected over a period of two weeks in the final days of December (from December 18, 2023 to December 31, 2023), at various points of time throughout the day, mostly in the evening, both on weekends and weekdays. The research phase extended from the planning stage to the result harvesting stage, spanning from December 2023 to February 2024.
Research method The research used quantitative research methods to investigate the impact of emotional appeal on pro-environmental behaviors of university students in Ho Chi Minh City. In the first part, all studied constructs were measured using scales derived from prior studies and translated into Vietnamese. Afterwards, a structured questionnaire was developed and standardized based on the context of the study. In the second part, we conducted an online survey and analyzed the data.
The survey is designed on Google Forms using the convenience sampling method. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 4 through 3 steps: assessment of measurement scales, test for 11 common method bias (CMB) and assessment of the structural model with hypothesis testing. Research structure Our research paper includes five chapters, each illustrating the main content attached to different phases of the study: Chapter 01 - Introduction Chapter 02 - Literature review and hypothesis development Chapter 03 - Research methodology - quantitative method Chapter 04 - Data analysis and results Chapter 05 - Discussion and conclusion 12 CHAPTER 02: LITERATURE REVIEW AND HYPOTHESIS DEVELOPMENT 2. Emotional Appeal (Guilt) Emotional appeal refers to a persuasive technique developed to evoke emotional reaction to a message by employing emotionally charged information.
Emotion is the human state of feeling in response to affect, commonly lasting for a short period and occuring due to a specific situation, in this context being the emotions elicited after watching an advertisement (Lee and Hong, 2016). In previous studies, Banerjee et al. (1995) categorized emotional appeal as one of the seven dimensions to construct green appeals. Additionally, Kara et al.
Emotional brand advertising seeks to arouse persuasiveness in communication (Dickinson and Holmes, 2008) and then channel emotional responses toward the brand (Edell and Burke, 1987; Matthes et al. Grounded in previous research, emotional green appeals can be divided into four types: proud appeals, admiring appeals, guilt appeals, and disdainful appeals (Wang and Wu, 2015). This paper's focus is on guilt appeals, a negative emotion recognized as prevalent over various cultures (Izard, 1977; Chang, 2011). Guilt is described as a complicated emotional response when examined on an individual level, and is regarded as mixed negative emotions, including regret, remorse and self-blame (Chang, 2002).
The transgression that triggers guilt may stem from the purchase decision of an unsuitable product or not buying a product deemed morally, societal, or morally principled (Lascu 1991, p. The terms "green" and "guilt" are often in conjunction since individuals would have a sense of guilt for not pursuing a greener lifestyle (Henricks, 2008; Kotchen, 2009). For example, people who are normally conscious of their buying habits impact the environment and advocate sustainable products. One day, they decided to buy a non-eco-friendly household item due to its lower cost, despite being aware that it goes against their beliefs.
When facing guilt, an individual becomes immersed in the violation or possible violation, then aims to lessen the guilt through the act of retribution (Izard, 1977; Ghingold, 1981). Sustainable marketers often utilize guilt to elicit pro-environmental behavior (Banerjee et al. This can be ascribed to social responsibility guilt, which is a fundamental 13 type of consumers' guilt (Chang, 2011). However, some researchers suggest that guilt appeals should be used strategically.
According to White et al., (2019), it is confirmed by many sides that evoking a moderate level of sadness, fear or guilt is more effective than eliciting a strong reaction. In the research conducted by Kollmuss and Agyeman (2002), they argue that it is significant to avoid evoking overly negative emotions. Alternatively, gently eliciting negative emotions proves its effectiveness (Meng and Trudel, 2017; Peloza et al. Consumers’ Guilt The notion of “consumers’ guilt" was derived from earlier meanings of the term ’’guilt,” which span roughly 20 years and have similar tenets.
According to Freedman et al. (1967) and Miller (1985), guilt is the emotion that arises when a person realizes that his actions were against his own moral or ethical principles.