Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

MS in Science

Department

Marketing

First Advisor

William R Carroll

Abstract

The dominance of the linear value chain and its perpetuation of overconsumption create persistent barriers to sustainable fashion brands in their effort to articulate a value proposition that justifies the price premium associated with ethical and sustainable production. To address this challenge and remain competitive within a marketplace dominated by low-cost fast fashion, these brands must differentiate through appeals that clearly reflect their values, mission, and climate commitments. While advertisements for sustainable goods use a broad set of persuasive strategies, this study evaluates two dominant emotional appeals, Positive Environmental Appeals (PEA) and Negative Environmental Appeals (NEA), both of which are employed to enhance consumer resonance with the brand. The purpose of this study is to investigate the valence of emotional appeals through the lens of the Cognition–Affect–Behavior framework. Specifically, the study examines how the intensity of cognitive and affective processes evoked by these appeals shapes consumer responses to sustainable fashion advertisements that function as determinants of engagement behavior. This study analyzed sixty posts from five sustainable fashion brands, and categorized them as either a Positive Environmental Appeal or a Negative Environmental Appeal. Four independent samples t-tests compared mean and median likes and comments across the two appeal categories. All statistical analyses revealed that Negative Environmental Appeals produced higher engagement across every model, with the strongest effect in the median comment analysis, which demonstrates that negative appeals generate higher-effort engagement.

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