NEUROBRANDING FOR SUSTAINABILITY: MEASURING THE INFLUENCE OF GREEN MARKETING CLAIMS ON CONSUMER DECISION-MAKING

Abstract

This study explores how eco-friendly branding influences consumer trust, loyalty, and purchase behavior by applying the lens of neurobranding — an approach that investigates subconscious and emotional consumer responses. While sustainability has become a core theme in modern business and marketing, much of the existing research relies on self-reported surveys, which often fail to capture the deeper, unconscious drivers of decision-making.

To address this gap, a quantitative survey design was employed with 370 respondents in Pakistan, using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test four hypotheses. The results show that eco-friendly branding claims significantly strengthen consumer trust, foster brand loyalty, and enhance purchase behavior. Importantly, subconscious consumer responses were found to play a mediating role, amplifying the effects of green marketing messages.

These findings highlight that consumer decisions are not shaped solely by rational judgments but are also strongly influenced by intuitive and emotional cues embedded in sustainable branding. The study advances the theoretical understanding of neurobranding in the sustainability domain and provides practical guidance for companies to design authentic, emotionally engaging, and trust-building green marketing strategies. Beyond its academic contribution, the research underscores the importance of aligning sustainability communication with genuine practices to avoid skepticism and strengthen long-term consumer relationships.