How Does ESG-Oriented Marketing Stimulate Green Action Among Generation Z? The Mediating Roles of Eco-Anxiety and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness

ESG-oriented marketing and its influence on consumers’ green consumption behavior have become important issues in sustainable development research, yet the emotional and cognitive mechanisms underlying this relationship remain insufficiently examined. Drawing on an integrated emotion–cognition–behavior perspective, this study focuses on Chinese Generation Z consumers and develops a model linking Perceived ESG Communication, Eco-Anxiety, Perceived Consumer Effectiveness, and Green Action Intention. Based on 400 valid survey responses, structural equation modeling and PROCESS 4.1 were employed to examine the structural relationships, mediation effects, and serial mediation pathway among the focal constructs. The results show that Perceived ESG Communication is positively associated with Green Action Intention both directly and indirectly. Specifically, Eco-Anxiety and Perceived Consumer Effectiveness each serve as significant mediators in the relationship between Perceived ESG Communication and Green Action Intention. Further analysis indicates that Eco-Anxiety is positively associated with Perceived Consumer Effectiveness, forming a significant serial mediation pathway through which ESG-related communication is linked to green action intention. These findings suggest that ESG-oriented marketing may influence Generation Z consumers not only by transmitting sustainability-related information, but also by activating environmental concern and strengthening consumers’ perceived effectiveness in contributing to sustainability outcomes. The study contributes to ESG communication and sustainable consumption research by clarifying the affective and cognitive mechanisms through which perceived ESG messages become behaviorally meaningful for young consumers. It also provides practical implications for designing ESG-oriented marketing strategies that combine credible responsibility communication with clear consumer action pathways.