ABSTRACT
Since the 1990s, as sustainability has gained increasing importance on the business and public affairs agenda, the notion of “green growth” has gained greater visibility in advertising (Kotler, 2011). Despite the popularity of this notion, consumers appear to be reluctant to accept green advertisements as a trustworthy source of information (Zinkhan & Carlson, 1995). In fact, green advertising can be ambiguous and even misleading at times-for example, a package label that reads “50 percent more recycled content than before.” The claim suggests an increase in recycled goods by half; however, the manufacturer’s total increase in recycled content has only improved by a small percentage. Although the message is technically true, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC, 2011) rules the advertisement deceptive because it can create a false impression.
