Embracing transition to ethical digital advertising: Appropriateness of prosocial advergames from a parental perspective

Prosocial advergames are an innovative form of interactive advertising that communicates CSR efforts, aligns with societal values, and promotes sustainability with reference to the Triple-P concept. This research aims to investigate the effects of perception of prosocial advergames on beliefs and attitudes toward them. This study is conducted from a parental perspective with reference the Persuasion Knowledge Model (PKM) framework. A quantitative survey involving 356 parents of children aged 7 to 11 years was conducted to evaluate parents’ perceptions and attitudes towards prosocial advergames. The findings indicate that persuasion expertise is not a significant antecedent of the activation of persuasion knowledge. Furthermore, only the ethical perception of the prosocial advergame significantly impacts attitudes, while perceptions of intrusiveness and flow do not have a significant effect. This study enhances our understanding of persuasion knowledge activation in interactive advertising. Examining prosocial advergames through the perspectives of ethical marketing, persuasion knowledge, and immersive advertising deepens our understanding of advertising’s important role in enhancing people’s well-being, while driving societal and environmental impacts alongside economic gains. Findings shed light on the challenges of ethical marketing appeals in gaming contexts, particularly among young audiences.