Abstract

VAN NIEKERK, Angelique  and  CONRADIE, Marthinus. The 'currency' of cultivating a green brand: representation practices for green branding and green washing in print magazine advertising in South Africa. Communitas (Bloemfontein. Online) [online]. 2020, vol.25, pp.1-31. ISSN 2415-0525.  http://dx.doi.org/10.18820/24150525/comm.v25.7.

Consumer brands are prioritising pro-environmental reputations in response to growing consumer concern. So-called green consumers are being targeted with buzzwords including sustainability, biodegradability, recycling and upcycling. Print advertising in South African media reflects this trend. This study mobilises a discursive taxonomy to examine particular dimensions of such advertising. The study interprets the findings thus extrapolated by suggesting a distinction between two types of green advertising: green branding and green washing in South African print media.

Keywords : green advertising; green branding; value assumptions; claim types; representation strategies; humanistic approach vs. environmental approach; marketing communication; brand communication.

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