The differential effects of self-identity appeals on consumers’ intentions to purchase socially responsible products with hedonic and utilitarian values

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the motivations of socially responsible consumption from the perspective of identity-based motivation theory. The findings suggest that personal-identity appeals promote socially responsible products with utilitarian values more effectively than relational-identity appeals. However, with respect to socially responsible products with hedonic values, relational and personal identity had no differential effect. Moreover, public identity appeals were found to promote socially responsible products with utilitarian values significantly. With respect to hedonic products, public identity influenced purchase intention only through anticipated guilt. These results have implications for marketers about ways to promote socially responsible products effectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Socially responsible consumption
• self-identity
• hedonic
• utilitarian

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data available on request from the author.

Notes

1. There are three items (inclined/willing/likely) in White and Peloza (2009). The item ‘likely’ was adapted to the reverse question: ‘It is unlikely for me to purchase this product by spending 10% more than the average market price.’ However, the Cronbach’s alpha value with the reverse item was negative even after reversing the scores of the item, and therefore the reverse item was deleted.