How the Source of the Advertisement Influences Susceptibility to Greenwashing: The Roles of the Type of Ad, Perceived Ad Authenticity, and Environmental Concern

Abstract

Companies are increasingly making eco-friendly claims, some of which mislead consumers about their true environmental impact: a phenomenon named greenwashing. This research investigates how the source of an advertisement—shared by a firm or its employees—affects consumer susceptibility to greenwashing. In an experiment, participants viewed an advertisement featuring either a genuine or greenwashing claim shared by one of these sources. The findings reveal that while the source alone does not influence susceptibility, greenwashing advertisements shared by employees are perceived as more authentic, increasing consumer vulnerability. In contrast, consumer evaluations of genuine advertisements remained consistent across sources, while responses to greenwashing claims varied. Environmental concern did not moderate these effects, indicating that even environmentally conscious consumers may fall victim to misleading claims. These results emphasize the need for stricter green marketing standards to address the role of ad sources in amplifying the impact of deceptive environmental messaging.