IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i4p2883-d1058654.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Moderating Effect of Green Advertising on the Relationship between Gamification and Sustainable Consumption Behavior: A Case Study of the Ant Forest Social Media App

Author

Listed:
  • Miao Huang

    (School of Animation and Digital Arts, Communication University of China, Nanjing, Jiangning University City, Nanjing 211172, China
    School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

  • Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh

    (School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

  • Izzal Asnira Zolkepli

    (School of Communication, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia)

Abstract

The end of the twentieth century saw increased research on sustainability issues, particularly consumer consumption patterns and their environmental impact. As consumers become more aware of the need to shift consumption habits toward green initiatives, a broader set of methods encouraging sustainable living should be sought. Due to the popularity of gamification in apps and other technology-related solutions, little research has been conducted to investigate gamification and advertising as a strategy to promote sustainable consumption. Using convenience sampling, this study surveyed 305 Ant Forest app users to investigate the relationship between gamification, perceived enjoyment, and sustainable consumption while observing green advertising as a moderating effect. The findings show that green advertising does not moderate gamification experience or perceived enjoyment but does moderate perceived enjoyment and sustainable consumption. Given that the study samples were university students, it is surprising to learn that gamification and green advertising have no relationship, thus denying the gamification experience to encourage sustainable behavior among China’s youth. As a result, marketers pursuing green initiatives should keep this impactful result in mind when implementing gamified features in user-experience apps. Gaming is seen uniquely for pleasure and enjoyment, not for creating behavioral change and awareness.

Suggested Citation

  • Miao Huang & Mohamad Saifudin Mohamad Saleh & Izzal Asnira Zolkepli, 2023. "The Moderating Effect of Green Advertising on the Relationship between Gamification and Sustainable Consumption Behavior: A Case Study of the Ant Forest Social Media App," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:2883-:d:1058654
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/2883/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/2883/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xiaolun Wang & Xinlin Yao, 2020. "Fueling Pro-Environmental Behaviors with Gamification Design: Identifying Key Elements in Ant Forest with the Kano Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-17, March.
    2. Lihong Chen & Kexin Qie & Hafeezullah Memon & Hanur Meku Yesuf, 2021. "The Empirical Analysis of Green Innovation for Fashion Brands, Perceived Value and Green Purchase Intention—Mediating and Moderating Effects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Lestari, Diyan, 2019. "Measuring e-commerce adoption behaviour among gen-Z in Jakarta, Indonesia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 103-115.
    4. Leila Niamir & Gregor Kiesewetter & Fabian Wagner & Wolfgang Schöpp & Tatiana Filatova & Alexey Voinov & Hans Bressers, 2020. "Assessing the macroeconomic impacts of individual behavioral changes on carbon emissions," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 158(2), pages 141-160, January.
    5. Dhahak, Kaouther & Huseynov, Farid, 2020. "The Influence of Gamification on Online Consumers’ Attitude and Intention to Purchase Fast Moving Consumer Goods," Business and Economics Research Journal, Uludag University, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, vol. 11(3), pages 769-791, July.
    6. Jiwang Yin & Xiaodong Qiu, 2021. "AI Technology and Online Purchase Intention: Structural Equation Model Based on Perceived Value," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-16, May.
    7. David M. Evans & Alison L. Browne & Ilse A. Gortemaker, 2020. "Environmental leapfrogging and everyday climate cultures: sustainable water consumption in the Global South," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 83-97, November.
    8. Huang, Lu & Li, Yuan & Huang, Xing & Zhou, Liying, 2021. "How social distance affects the intention and behavior of collaborative consumption: A study based on online car-hailing service," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    9. Ajzen, Icek, 1991. "The theory of planned behavior," Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, Elsevier, vol. 50(2), pages 179-211, December.
    10. Zhang, Yufei & Chen, Jiayin & Han, Yi & Qian, Mengxi & Guo, Xiaona & Chen, Ruishan & Xu, Di & Chen, Yi, 2021. "The contribution of Fintech to sustainable development in the digital age: Ant forest and land restoration in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    11. Muhammad Awais & Tanzila Samin & Muhammad Awais Gulzar & Jinsoo Hwang & Muhammad Zubair, 2020. "Unfolding the Association between the Big Five, Frugality, E-Mavenism, and Sustainable Consumption Behavior," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-25, January.
    12. Xi, Nannan & Hamari, Juho, 2020. "Does gamification affect brand engagement and equity? A study in online brand communities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 449-460.
    13. Sreejesh, S. & Ghosh, Tathagata & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2021. "Moving beyond the content: The role of contextual cues in the effectiveness of gamification of advertising," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 88-101.
    14. Szymkowiak, Andrzej & Melović, Boban & Dabić, Marina & Jeganathan, Kishokanth & Kundi, Gagandeep Singh, 2021. "Information technology and Gen Z: The role of teachers, the internet, and technology in the education of young people," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    15. Gerard George & Ryan K. Merrill & Simon J. D. Schillebeeckx, 2021. "Digital Sustainability and Entrepreneurship: How Digital Innovations Are Helping Tackle Climate Change and Sustainable Development," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 45(5), pages 999-1027, September.
    16. Zhaojun Yang & Xiangchun Kong & Jun Sun & Yali Zhang, 2018. "Switching to Green Lifestyles: Behavior Change of Ant Forest Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-14, August.
    17. Luis Guerra & Deepak Saxena, 2022. "Effectiveness of in-game advertisements within role-playing games," International Journal of Electronic Marketing and Retailing, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 13(3), pages 280-299.
    18. Ilknur Ayar & Ahmet Gürbüz, 2021. "Sustainable Consumption Intentions of Consumers in Turkey: A Research Within the Theory of Planned Behavior," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(3), pages 21582440211, September.
    19. Md. Nekmahmud & Maria Fekete-Farkas, 2020. "Why Not Green Marketing? Determinates of Consumers’ Intention to Green Purchase Decision in a New Developing Nation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-31, September.
    20. Ghosh, Tathagata, 2016. "Winning Versus not Losing: Exploring the Effects of In-Game Advertising Outcome on its Effectiveness," Journal of Interactive Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 134-147.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Songhong Chen & Yuanshu Tian & Siyun Pei, 2024. "Technological Use from the Perspective of Cultural Heritage Environment: Augmented Reality Technology and Formation Mechanism of Heritage-Responsibility Behaviors of Tourists," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-23, September.
    2. Xinyuan Lu & Fangfang Ren & Xuelin Wang & Hua Meng, 2024. "How Gamified Interactions Drive Users’ Green Value Co-Creation Behaviors: An Empirical Study from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-21, April.
    3. Marian Gil & Mariusz Rudy & Paulina Duma-Kocan & Renata Stanisławczyk & Anna Krajewska & Dariusz Dziki & Waleed H. Hassoon, 2024. "Sustainability of Alternatives to Animal Protein Sources, a Comprehensive Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-27, September.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jiaxing Chen & Guangling Zhang & Qinfang Hu, 2022. "Research on the Impact of Pro-Environment Game and Guilt on Environmentally Sustainable Behaviour," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-14, October.
    2. Behl, Abhishek & Jayawardena, Nirma & Pereira, Vijay & Islam, Nazrul & Giudice, Manlio Del & Choudrie, Jyoti, 2022. "Gamification and e-learning for young learners: A systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis, and future research agenda," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    3. Elizabeth Emperatriz García-Salirrosas & Ángel Acevedo-Duque & Viviana Marin Chaves & Paula Andrea Mejía Henao & Juan Carlos Olaya Molano, 2022. "Purchase Intention and Satisfaction of Online Shop Users in Developing Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.
    4. Wang, Guoqiang & Tan, Garry Wei-Han & Yuan, Yunpeng & Ooi, Keng-Boon & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2022. "Revisiting TAM2 in behavioral targeting advertising: A deep learning-based dual-stage SEM-ANN analysis," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 175(C).
    5. Saddam A. Hazaea & Ebrahim Mohammed Al-Matari & Khaled Zedan & Saleh F. A. Khatib & Jinyu Zhu & Hamzeh Al Amosh, 2022. "Green Purchasing: Past, Present and Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-28, April.
    6. Hazem Ali & Min Li & Yunhong Hao, 2021. "Purchasing Behavior of Organic Food among Chinese University Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, May.
    7. Imran Hossain & Maria Fekete-Farkas & Md. Nekmahmud, 2022. "Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances Contribute to Sustainable Energy Consumption in Developing Country: Moral Norms Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-20, June.
    8. Saleem Rahman & Agnieszka Chwialkowska & Nazim Hussain & Waheed Akbar Bhatti & Harri Luomala, 2023. "Cross-cultural perspective on sustainable consumption: implications for consumer motivations and promotion," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(2), pages 997-1016, February.
    9. Guang-Wen Zheng & Abu Bakkar Siddik & Mohammad Masukujjaman & Syed Shah Alam & Alvina Akter, 2020. "Perceived Environmental Responsibilities and Green Buying Behavior: The Mediating Effect of Attitude," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-27, December.
    10. Qin, Xiaodi & Wu, Haitao & Li, Rongrong, 2022. "Digital finance and household carbon emissions in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    11. Goutam Saha & Benazir Ishaque, 2022. "Predicting Green Purchase Behavior: An Empirical Study Using Theory of Reasoned Action," International Journal of Science and Business, IJSAB International, vol. 12(1), pages 45-57.
    12. Imran Hossain & Md. Nekmahmud & Maria Fekete-Farkas, 2022. "How Do Environmental Knowledge, Eco-Label Knowledge, and Green Trust Impact Consumers’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour for Energy-Efficient Household Appliances?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-16, May.
    13. Camilleri, Mark Anthony & Camilleri, Adriana Caterina, 2022. "Remote learning via video conferencing technologies: Implications for research and practice," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    14. Mosa Aseri & Zaid Ahmad Ansari, 2023. "Purchase Behaviour of Green Footwear in Saudi Arabia Using Theory of Planned Behaviour," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-17, March.
    15. Peter Ansu-Mensah, 2021. "Green product awareness effect on green purchase intentions of university students’: an emerging market’s perspective," Future Business Journal, Springer, vol. 7(1), pages 1-13, December.
    16. Li Jiang & Mei Zhao & Hao Lin & Lvyu Yang, 2022. "How Do Consumer Innovation Characteristics and Consumption Value Shape Users’ Willingness to Buy Innovative Car Safety Seats?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-28, December.
    17. Brian Beckage & Katherine Lacasse & Jonathan M. Winter & Louis J. Gross & Nina Fefferman & Forrest M. Hoffman & Sara S. Metcalf & Travis Franck & Eric Carr & Asim Zia & Ann Kinzig, 2020. "The Earth has humans, so why don’t our climate models?," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 181-188, November.
    18. Ghosh, Tathagata & Sreejesh, S. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2022. "Brand logos versus brand names: A comparison of the memory effects of textual and pictorial brand elements placed in computer games," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 222-235.
    19. Jiaxing Chen & Yuze Bao & Guangling Zhang & Xiaoqi Huang, 2022. "A Study of the Impact of Social Responsibility Cues on the Long-Term Effectiveness of Gamification Strategies: Insights from the Adverse Effects of Game Strategies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-18, November.
    20. Nekmahmud, Md. & Naz, Farheen & Ramkissoon, Haywantee & Fekete-Farkas, Maria, 2022. "Transforming consumers' intention to purchase green products: Role of social media," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:2883-:d:1058654. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.