Climate Action

Getting consumers to say YES! to Sustainability through Message Framing

PROJECT LEAD: DR RORY MULCAHY

DG8: Decent work and economic growth; SDG11: Sustainable cities and communities

With numerous looming sustainability issues such as global warming and fuel shortages, among others, finding ways in which sustainable consumer behaviour can be increased has become a priority. One potential solution is the use of message framing, the presentation of equivalent options in semantically different ways, to promote sustainable products. A recent systematic review of message framing targeting sustainable consumer behaviour has identified that whilst numerous studies exist, key limitations include the types of sustainable behaviours and products considered, as well as the variety of message frames which can be used to achieve effective behaviour change. This research project conducted two message framing experimental studies considering the promotion of electric vehicles and sustainable sportswear.

Two youth research team members were part of this project.

1. Shame on You! Encouraging consumers to consider electric vehicle purchases

This project focused on environmental sustainability and sought to understand how advertising communication can be designed to encourage greater consideration of purchasing electric vehicles. The research undertook an online survey experiment with 240 participants whereby one of four different advertisement variations were shown.

The results show that the most effective advertisements communicate concrete (specific) benefits of electric vehicles (e.g., improving air quality) as opposed to abstract (e.g., saving the environment). Further, promotions should focus on the collective benefit society will experience rather than benefits for individual consumers. In addition, a new finding of this research relates to the emotion of shame. Shame explains why a consumer will or will not consider buying an electric vehicle. These findings offer insight for driving increased electric vehicle adoption by demonstrating how consumers are effectively informed of. the most appealing benefits related to their electric vehicle purchase.

Photo by Michael Marais on Unsplash

2. For the love of it. How can LGBTQI+ inclusivity be promoted via Sport?

This project focuses on social sustainability and aims to understand how fans respond to their favourite sporting teams promoting inclusivity for the LGBTQI+ community. The research team conducted an online experiment with 180 participants investigating how sports teams could communicate changes made to their uniform to promote inclusivity (such as a rainbow heart on their jersey). The results of the study provide evidence that concrete explanations as to why inclusivity is being promoted on teams’ uniforms is important. Further, the results show that if the explanation of inclusivity promotion via teams’ jerseys is framed at an individual or societal level as opposed to a fan-base, the message is more positively received.

This research benefits professional sporting bodies by providing evidence that the practice of promoting and celebrating inclusivity can have a positive impact on support for the team but also for the social cause. Further, the results will provide clear guidance for professional sports teams to communicate with fans more effectively in relation to the promotion and practice of inclusivity for the LBGTQI+ community.

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

Student Reflection

Malin Sofia Roennberg, UniSC student and researcher on the ‘For the love of it. How can LGBTQI+ inclusivity be promoted via Sport?’ project, talks about the experience.