Content Analysis of the Use of Environmental Claims and Message Framing in Green Marketing Communications on Thai Corporate Websites

Abstract

The present study conducts exploratory research on green marketing communications in Thailand. By applying the typology of environmental claims of Carlson et al. (1996) and the message framing of Tversky and Kahneman (1981), content analysis is conducted on Thai corporate websites of companies listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSWI) 2020 that contain green marketing communications written in Thai, which is 51 out of 323 companies on the DJSWI 2020. Findings indicate that the use of substantive claims is significantly higher than the use of associative claims, and most webpages use gain frames. Combinations of environmental claims are less used than single types of environmental claims on each webpage. To enhance the first impression of authentic environmental sustainability, companies that only provide image orientation claims in their green marketing communications could consider adding substantive claims on the same webpage by providing specific information on the tangible environmental attributes of their products and processes. Future studies could examine Thai consumers’ perceptions of these real examples of green marketing communications as well as conduct content analysis of official social media accounts of companies that operate in Thailand.