Message framing in green advertising: The effect of construal level and consumer environmental concern

Many firms adopt green advertising and put great emphasis on the value of green marketing strategies. However, little research has examined the effectiveness of green appeal in advertisements. Building on message framing and construal level theory, this study examines the moderating role of temporal distance in effects of gain or loss framed messages on consumers’ attitudes and purchase intentions towards advertised brand. The findings demonstrate that a congruency between loss frame and low level construal, as well as the match between gain frame and high level construal, leads to more positive outcomes in consumers’ attitudes and purchase intention. Furthermore, this research reveals that salience of the congruency effect varies in line with the level of consumer environmental concern, which has important theoretical and practical implications.