Brands’ Green Activism: An Empirical Comparison between Posts of Digital Influencers and Brands

Paulo Duarte Silveira (), Fábio Shimabukuro Sandes, Duarte Xara-Brasil and Karla Menezes
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Paulo Duarte Silveira: Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Escola Superior de Ciências Empresariais, RESILIENCE, 2914-503 Setúbal, Portugal
Fábio Shimabukuro Sandes: CICANT Research Centre, Universidade Lusófona, 1749-024 Lisbon, Portugal
Duarte Xara-Brasil: Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Escola Superior de Ciências Empresariais, RESILIENCE, 2914-503 Setúbal, Portugal
Karla Menezes: Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal, Escola Superior de Ciências Empresariais, 2914-503 Setúbal, Portugal

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 16, 1-18

Abstract: In this article, we present a study that investigates the effectiveness of social media communication in conveying brands’ green activism actions framed by corporate social responsibility. To address this question, a survey was conducted with 550 participants, comparing their opinions about the green posts made by brands and influencers. Statistical analysis (Wilcoxon rank-sum test means comparison of responses between the two groups) revealed significant differences in consumer perceptions between them. The findings indicate that using social media channels to communicate green initiatives is effective for brands. Moreover, the study concludes that direct brand communication is more beneficial than relying on digital influencers. This research contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence on the comparative effectiveness of brand-generated social media posts and influencer-generated content in promoting green activism actions. The study highlights the importance of direct brand communication in enhancing consumer perception and engagement with green initiatives. It offers valuable insights for brands seeking to optimize their social media strategies for sustainability messaging.

Keywords: green activism; social responsibility; marketing; social media; sustainability messaging; digital influencers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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