Consumers’ Perceptions of and Responses to Green Cause-Related Marketing

In the last few decades, cause-related marketing has been increasingly refined as a method for companies to go beyond meeting the material needs of consumers (Marconi, p. xi). As cause-related marketing has developed, the variety of tactics, causes, and ethical issues has become more prevalent. The nature of cause-related marketing is conducive to a growing number of approaches, further narrowing and defining target markets through the selection of more specific causes. Competing alongside the marketing campaigns supporting cancer research is cause-related marketing geared toward restoring native species in the county of a company’s headquarters. The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of consumer perceptions of and responses to cause-related marketing when the cause is an environmental issue (green cause-related marketing). Long interviews were conducted to obtain feedback about consumers’ perceptions of and responses to such marketing. Results included that green cause-related marketing is effective with high and low cause-involved consumers; green cause-related marketing is persuasive with high and low levels of purchase involvement; and socially concerned consumers’ skepticism does not necessarily preclude their interest in green cause-related marketed products.