Solid Green and Greenwashing: When Is Communication Really Green?

The aim of the paper is to investigate consumer perceptions involving green communication, analysed with reference to audience efficacy. In particular, the focus of the study is on the object of communication, in terms of responsible corporate processes or products, which are ecosustainable, natural, green and so on. Starting from a critical overview on the topic, an interpretive model of green communication is suggested and an empirical analysis is conducted, using a quali-quantitative approach. In particular, to verify whether the green content of communication encourages consumers» purchases, the perceptions of the sample with respect to four print advertisements of companies positioning themselves as «green», are examined. The variables used to evaluate the advertisements are extracted from the Iso standard 14021. Findings suggest that sustainable communication can be redefined, in terms of «response-ability» for the requirements of what still remains nowadays, a niche market