Perceived benefits of sustainable fashion: the role of warm glow for other- and self-benefit framing on online consumption intentions

Purpose Despite the relevance of perceived self-benefits in fashion brand advertising, combining other- and self-benefits still frequently backfires. The current paper explores how sustainable online fashion branding influences consumption intentions when emphasizing other-benefits (sustainability) combined with different affective self-benefits, i.e. intrinsic benefit (good feeling of helping others) and image-benefit (social esteem) through intrinsic and extrinsic dimensions of warm glow feelings. The moderating role of consumers’ value orientations is additionally examined. Design/methodology/approach Findings of two multi-factorial experiments among a total of 482 participants reveal that by advertising different affective self-benefits alongside the other-benefit of sustainability, fashion brands may elicit both intrinsic and extrinsic warm glow. Findings Specifically, added image-benefits may help to elicit extrinsic warm glow, while added intrinsic benefits induce intrinsic and extrinsic warm glow. However, the positive effect of benefit framing is contingent on personal values, with enhancement and transcendence orientation explaining differences in consumer reactions. Originality/value This research offers novel insights into the interplay of other- and self-benefits in sustainable fashion marketing by addressing consumers' affective reactions. Moreover, the results contribute to the conceptual application of the multi-dimensionality of warm glow in sustainable fashion branding.