Robin Coulter, University of Connecticut Professor of Marketing, Voya Financial Fellow, and Marketing Department Head, with colleagues, Yuliya Strizhakova, and Linda Price have a forthcoming article, “ ‘Fresh Start’ Messaging, ‘Rebirth Associations,’ and Consumers’ Environmentally Sustainable Actions” in Journal of Business Ethics.

Their article introduces metaphoric “fresh start” marketing messaging as an effective tactic to engage consumers in environmentally sustainable actions, particularly donating used products for remanufacture or reuse. Their experimental studies find that metaphoric “fresh start” messaging is more effective (than “recycle” and “reduce waste”) in increasing used product donations and donation intentions for a variety of consumer goods, including for example, clothing and children’s toys. The effectiveness of metaphoric “fresh start” messaging is grounded in its activation of consumer abstract thinking, specifically around new beginnings, renewal, and new life. These “rebirth associations” engage consumers in the messaging and result in consumers engaging in environmentally sustainable behaviors. Thus, Coulter’s work has implications for firms’ environmentally focused communication strategies.

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