Sexually explicit advertisements boost consumer recycling due to moral cleansing goal activation

Matthew D. Meng () and Jessica Gamlin ()
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Matthew D. Meng: Utah State University
Jessica Gamlin: University of Oregon

Marketing Letters, 2024, vol. 35, issue 2, No 3, 205-218

Abstract: Abstract Building on research showing that sexually explicit advertisements (i.e., those depicting figuratively “dirty” content) are viewed as immoral, three experiments propose and demonstrate that exposure to figuratively dirty (vs. clean) advertisements activates consumers’ moral cleansing goals, which subsequently boosts recycling-related behaviors. These effects do not arise for literally dirty (vs. clean) advertisements, helping to support a goal activation account, rather than mere semantic priming. Further, the effect of figuratively dirty (vs. clean) advertisements on recycling-related behavior is amplified for consumers higher in internalized moral identity. These findings contribute to the literatures on consumer goal activation, moral identity, and sustainability, and have practical implications for marketers considering explicit advertising campaigns and public policy makers wanting to better understand the drivers of consumer recycling.

Keywords: Goal activation; Moral cleansing; Moral identity; Advertising; Recycling (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1007/s11002-023-09689-0

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