How self-construal and ad appeal shape the evaluation of sustainable luxury products: the interplay of self, pride, and gratitude

Purpose This study investigates the interplay among self-construal, ad appeals, environmental concern and consumer evaluations of sustainable luxury products. It examines how pride (aligned with independent self-construal) and gratitude (aligned with interdependent self-construal) influence consumer evaluations, with a specific focus on the moderating role of environmental concern. Design/methodology/approach This research includes two experimental studies. Study 1 (N = 316) used a 2 × 2 design to examine the interaction between ad appeal (pride vs gratitude) and self-construal (independent vs interdependent) on sustainable luxury product evaluations through processing fluency. Study 2 (N = 552) employed a 2 × 2 × 2 design to explore the moderating role of environmental concern (low vs high) in the relationship between the interaction of ad appeal and self-construal on sustainable luxury product evaluations. Findings The findings reveal that ad appeals aligned with consumers’ self-construal enhance processing fluency, leading to more favorable evaluations of sustainable luxury products. This effect is amplified when environmental concern is high but attenuated when environmental concern is low. Originality/value This research highlights the importance of tailoring advertising messages to consumers’ self-construal and accounting for their environmental concern. These insights are valuable for marketers aiming to enhance advertising strategies for sustainable luxury products.