From natural cues to brand trust: the role of green values and pride

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how natural content (NC) and regional product (RP) influence green consumption values and how it leads to brand trust (BT) through brand love (BL). This study also assesses whether anticipated pride (AP), a self-conscious moral emotion, moderates the affective pathways connecting values to trust. Design/Methodology/Approach Grounded in the stimulus–organism–behavior–consequence framework, the model defines NC and RP as stimuli; green consumption values and BL as organismic states; and BT as the downstream consequence. This study applied partial least squares structural equation modeling to survey data collected from 203 consumers in India. Findings NC and RP significantly increase green consumption values. Green consumption values affect BT indirectly through BL, resulting in an indirect-only mediation pattern. BL serves as the main affective channel connecting sustainability values to relational outcomes. Contrary to theoretical expectations, AP weakens green consumption values–BL and BL–BT relationships, which aligns with moral self-regulation arguments indicating that AP signals adequate moral progress and weakens later affective evaluations. Originality/Value This study advances stimulus–organism–behavior–consequence research by showing that concrete sustainability cues (NC and RP) activate value-congruent, emotion-driven pathways that lead to BT. By identifying BL as the key affective mechanism and anticipate pride as a boundary condition that weakens these pathways, this study offers theoretical insight into how consumers translate sustainability values into brand relationships. The findings of this study guide the design of green branding interventions that balance value-, emotion- and pride-based appeals.