Toward a better understanding of the phenomenon of ambivalence in the endorsement of sustainable luxury

Abstract

• Objectives / Research Questions This research proposes to better understand the antecedents and amplifying factors of the ambivalence phenomenon in the endorsement of sustainable luxury (social vs . environmental). • Methodology A first exploratory qualitative study based on the album online technique studied consumers’ mental representations of sustainable luxury endorsed by a celebrity. A second quantitative study, conducted in the form of an experiment (N = 192), manipulated celebrity endorsement (presence vs . absence) and the type of cause (social vs . environmental). • Results The qualitative study identifies two antecedents of ambivalence (satisfaction with commitment vs . suspicion of commercial motives) and two distinct types of sustainable orientations (social vs . environmental). The quantitative study complements these results by demonstrating that celebrity endorsement fosters ambivalence but generates a stronger impact on positive consumer reactions, particularly in the case of social causes.