Exploring Gen Z’s awareness of green promotion in developing markets

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of green promotion on consumer awareness among university students in Nigeria. The paper illuminates the effect of eco-friendly marketing behaviour in shaping students’ knowledge and attitude to sustainable products and behaviour from an extended interdisciplinary and critical learning perspective. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a quantitative research design and uses a survey approach to obtain the data from university students. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. The hypothesis was evaluated by applying linear regression analysis. Findings The results show that there is a strong effect of green promotion on university students’ awareness. Research limitations/implications The findings emphasize the importance of businesses to invest in green promotion initiatives that enhance consumer awareness and promote sustainable consumption, especially among Gen Z. Organising eco-labelling and pro-environmental call-to-actions into the marketing strategies of businesses can foster brand loyalty for responsible, sustainable options. Originality/value By addressing the limitations of other studies this paper contributes to the literature on green marketing by focusing on the effect of green publicity on consumer awareness among university students. It offers empirical support for the proposition that it is possible to use effective green promotional messages not only to increase awareness of environmentally benign products, but to increase awareness of these products among a young audience.