Title: The nature and extent of environmental sustainability advertising in magazines in a developing market

Authors: Sibusiso Ndlovu; Debbie Ellis

Addresses: School of Management, Information Technology and Governance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa ' School of Management, Information Technology and Governance, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa

Abstract: Consumers' unsustainable consumption patterns play a substantial role in environmental deterioration. For consumers to behave more sustainably, they need to be knowledgeable of the problems, and various product and service solutions. Some businesses are using environmental sustainability advertising to develop consumer awareness and to influence environmentally conscious behaviour. This paper investigated the extent and nature of environmental sustainability advertising in magazines in a developing nation. A descriptive design with a deductive content analysis of 66 magazines revealed a limited number of environmental sustainability advertisements which are described in terms of their structure and content. This research contributes to marketers using environmental sustainability messages, conceptualising the types of message elements currently being used in magazine advertising and possible alternatives for making the environmental sustainability message unique. Recommendations are made for environmental sustainability marketers, academics, policymakers and future research.

Keywords: sustainability advertising; advertising appeals; message explicitness; message elements; South Africa; magazine advertising; sustainability knowledge; green advertising.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2022.123889

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2022 Vol.16 No.3/4, pp.372 - 399

Received: 14 Jul 2020
Accepted: 21 Apr 2021
Published online: 04 Jul 2022 *

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