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How to “Nudge” your consumers toward sustainable fashion consumption: An fMRI investigation

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  • Lee, Eun-Ju
  • Choi, Hanah
  • Han, Jinghe
  • Kim, Dong Hyun
  • Ko, Eunju
  • Kim, Kyung Hoon

Abstract

Consumers often have positive attitudes about green marketing, yet their fashion purchases are not linked to sustainability, revealing an unbalanced psychological state. Based on balance theory, we explain how environmental priming can increase consumer preferences for fashion products with green logos. Using fMRI, we identify the neural representation of the green logo effect as significant activations in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Prior exposure to environmental priming messages increased brain activations in the superior parietal lobule (SPL) and the bilateral lingual gyri (LG) during green-related communication, reflecting brain processes of relational reasoning and leading to increased preference for fashion products that bear a green logo. We discuss managerial implications related to the effectiveness of “nudge” communication techniques in setting up the tone for sustainable fashion marketing.

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  • Lee, Eun-Ju & Choi, Hanah & Han, Jinghe & Kim, Dong Hyun & Ko, Eunju & Kim, Kyung Hoon, 2020. "How to “Nudge” your consumers toward sustainable fashion consumption: An fMRI investigation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 642-651.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:117:y:2020:i:c:p:642-651
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.09.050
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    2. Eleni Sardianou & Maria Briana & George Malindretos & Konstantina Chatzipetrou, 2024. "Stitching Sustainability: Consumers’ Attitudes towards Clothing Recycling in Greece," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(3), pages 2031-2047, September.
    3. Tafur Gómez, Jorge Andrés & Martínez Giraldo, Jhully Paulin, 2024. "Students' perception of the application of nudges," Revista Tendencias, Universidad de Narino, vol. 25(2), pages 190-218, July.
    4. Kapoor, Ankur & Sahay, Arvind & Singh, Nandini C. & Chandrasekhar Pammi, V.S. & Banerjee, Prantosh, 2023. "The neural correlates and the underlying processes of weak brand choices," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    5. Anne Corcos, 2023. "How nudges and marketing, frame time preference “for your own good”: a behavioral model," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.

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