Advertising and Green Purchase Intention: The Mediating Role of Perceived Customer Orientation and Corporate Environmental Responsibility

Introduction
Food safety and quality have emerged as critical challenges for modern societies. The widespread use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, hormonal compounds, and preservatives has led to significant environmental degradation and adverse ecological consequences. While green products have successfully carved out a niche in global food markets, their production requires meticulous management due to specific supply chain demands. Paradoxically, some advancements in this sector have been associated with exorbitant environmental costs. Mitigating the damage caused by conventional agricultural practices—such as soil erosion and groundwater contamination—demands robust market support and shifts in consumption patterns. Existing research consistently demonstrates a consumer willingness to pay a premium for products characterized by social and environmental responsibility. Nevertheless, companies must exercise caution in their marketing strategies; consumers may perceive that an excessive focus on environmental protection comes at the expense of product quality, leading to unintended adverse effects. Furthermore, the efficacy of green advertising appeals is often contingent upon the individual’s level of environmental consciousness, rendering them less effective among less committed consumers. Additionally, framing environmental impacts primarily through personal shopping choices may inadvertently place the burden of preservation solely on the consumer, contradicting the belief that collective action from both consumers and corporations is essential. This research focuses on organic food products, given that food consumption contributes significantly to the environmental footprint of households. Consequently, modifying dietary consumption patterns is a viable pathway for reducing carbon dioxide emissions and mitigating climate change. Because purchasing green food is often driven by personal preferences—including health concerns, taste, and overall well-being—marketing appeals that focus exclusively on environmental benefits may prove counterproductive. Understanding the relative performance of organic products is crucial for companies, regardless of whether they employ an explicit green strategy. In marketing, superior product performance in a specific segment can confer a competitive advantage, whereas poor performance presents strategic risks and competitive vulnerabilities. While environmental concerns remain a primary motivator for purchasing organic food, they are frequently intertwined with beliefs regarding superior flavor profiles compared to conventionally produced alternatives. Consequently, organic commerce is increasingly overlapping with ethical trade. As social responsibility and sustainable development become central tenets of contemporary marketing research, the moral impetus to preserve the environment is cultivating a new class of consumers whose purchase decisions for organic products are inextricably linked to both health consciousness and environmental stewardship.
 
Methodology
This study adopts an applied research design, employing a descriptive-analytical survey method. The target population consists of customers of organic restaurants in Mashhad, identified through consultation with food industry experts. In this research, organic restaurants are defined as establishments that prioritize natural and healthy food preparation—abstaining from additives and harmful substances—while maintaining a clear commitment to environmental protection for future generations. A non-probability convenience sampling method was utilized, resulting in a final sample of 384 participants. Data were collected using a standardized questionnaire adapted from Yang et al. (2022), and the instrument’s validity was confirmed through both content and construct validity assessments.
Findings
Descriptive analysis of the demographic data revealed that 79.7% of the respondents were male, while females accounted for the remaining 20.3%. The largest age cohort, representing 38% of the sample, fell within the 31–41 age range. Regarding educational attainment, the plurality of respondents (46%) held a bachelor’s degree. To assess the reliability of the research instrument, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for all variables; as all values exceeded the threshold of 0.7, the instrument demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency. Finally, regarding hypothesis testing, since the t-values for all proposed paths surpassed the 1.96 threshold, it can be concluded that all research hypotheses were statistically supported.
 
Discussion and Conclusion
Customer-centric organizations position the customer at the center of their strategic planning and execution, prioritizing resource allocation to address both current and latent needs. Conversely, ‘green empowerment’ advertising underscores the pivotal role of consumer agency, signaling that market demand is a primary driver of corporate environmental strategy and sustainability initiatives. While traditional green appeals often focus on individual environmental impact—thereby fostering a sense of personal responsibility—empowerment-based advertising highlights the consumer’s ability to influence corporate practices through purchasing decisions. By framing the consumer as a catalyst for organizational change, such messaging can simultaneously enhance corporate image and boost purchase intentions for organic food products. Drawing from these findings, it is evident that consumer perceptions of repurchase intention, loyalty, and price sensitivity are often mediated by perceived service ease and value alignment. Although the literature frequently notes that pro-environmental behavior among employees is voluntary and discretionary—contributing to an organization’s green image among stakeholders—our findings specifically highlight the external consumer-facing mechanism. Regarding firm size, while small enterprises may derive fewer benefits from green empowerment advertising compared to their larger counterparts, this strategy remains a potent tool for driving overall purchase intent. The observed disparity suggests that smaller firms may struggle to establish the same level of perceived environmental responsibility as large corporations when using these advertisements. Nevertheless, perceived customer orientation (a private benefit to the buyer) and perceived environmental responsibility (a public good) can coexist harmoniously, provided the advertising message effectively aligns both dimensions and the company is perceived to possess sufficient resources. Ultimately, these findings suggest that consumers employ a cognitive evaluation mechanism to optimize multiple performance factors simultaneously. Green appeals can signal that a company is dedicating significant attention and resources to environmental sustainability, thereby positively influencing purchase behavior. Consequently, managers should prioritize the integration of these dual benefits—customer orientation and environmental responsibility—into their communication policies to maximize the effectiveness of their green marketing strategies.