The different approach of green advertising: an empirical analysis of the Italian context

Advertising is an important means of communication and can guide consumer choices by relying on their priorities. The aim of this study is to analyse the dissemination and characteristics of green advertisings in Italian newspapers between 2007 and the first half of 2008. The article aims to quantify the existence of references to environmental issues in advertisement in newspapers and magazines and to identify the prevailing elements and characteristics of the green message, such as the subject, the content and the completeness of the message or other elements such as certificates, sponsorship used to improve the effectiveness of the message. In addition, a “cluster analysis” was applied on the collected data, classifying messages into four ecological categories that are associated with a different communication strategy for the “green component” of their message.