Abstract
Parallel to the upswing in the modern environmental movement, companies and brands have emphasized green attributes and imagery to sell qualities of the natural world. However, consumers have become highly skeptical about green messaging and express distrust toward companies and brands claiming to be green. The web has thus emerged as an effective platform for a company or brand to promote their environmental responsibility. The present study explores this further by taking a qualitative case study approach that deconstructs how three popular skin care brands impress consumers that a brand is green and communicates caring for the environment. The findings show that each brand established a green identity with visuals, color, and text signifying eco-friendly and caring for the environment as part of its web-based communication. However, the analysis discovered noticeable differences in what brands say they do with what they do in which brands aim to lessen their environmental impact.