Making Sustainable Product Benefits Tangible: Analyzing the Impact of Analogies on Purchase Intent - Study 1

The problem with stimulating more consumption of sustainable products is that the benefits may not be immediately clear or rather abstract. This is an important concept for marketers because when consumers are making purchasing decisions for durable goods like residential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) appliances, they will encounter objective, but potentially unfamiliar product attributes like “Up to 21.5 SEER2”, “Variable Speed”, and “Energy Star Certified” to describe the energy efficiency benefit of the product. To help the consumers comprehend unfamiliar terminology, marketers can use an intervention such as an analogy to increase the tangibility of the energy saving benefit.