Auditory Pathways to Environmental Friendliness: The Interactive Role of Packaging and Brand Name Sounds

ABSTRACT The amount of packaging waste produced annually is an environmental issue and a growing concern among consumers. In response, some companies have switched to environmentally friendly packaging materials and are communicating this to their consumers. This study examines how packaging sounds and brand name speech sounds interact to influence perceptions of environmental friendliness in the context of auditory advertisements. Our results indicate that consumers can misidentify the sounds of materials commonly used in packaging but perceived to differ in environmental impact (e.g., paper, plastic). This misidentification can influence perceived environmental friendliness of packaging and, in turn, willingness to buy. Furthermore, our data indicate that auditory exposure to brand names with voiceless (vs. voiced) consonants moderates the relationship between packaging material sounds and material identification accuracy. This study's main contribution lies in recognizing the influence of sounds from packaging, brand names, and their interaction on consumers' perceived environmental friendliness and, consequently, on willingness to buy. For marketing managers, it highlights auditory modality's role in engaging consumers and promoting pro‐environmental initiatives in advertising strategies.