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Purpose This study examined whether marketing an apparel product via an advertisement with a sustainability vs a conventional message would affect consumer perception of the brand's CSR image and their attitude toward the brand. Design/methodology/approach An online experiment via a posttest-only between-group design with random assignment was administered with a college student sample from a large northeastern university in the US. Findings Exposure to an advertisement with a sustainability message had a direct effect on the brand's CSR image, which mediated the relationship between advertisement exposure and (1) perceived brand innovativeness and (2) consumer-brand identification. CSR image positively predicted brand innovativeness, consumer-brand identification and attitude toward the brand. Prior attitude toward sustainable apparel was a significant moderator between advertisement exposure and (1) CSR image and (2) consumer-brand identification. Originality/value This study is among the first to test the effects of apparel advertising with a sustainability message on the relationship between consumer and the brand. Study findings contribute to industry knowledge by elucidating the potential effects of an apparel ad with a sustainability message on a brand's CSR image and innovativeness as well as consumer identification with and attitude toward the brand.
Lee et al. (Tue,) studied this question.