Green but ignored? The irrelevance of television advertisements on energy sustainability in Spain and its impact on consumer perceptions

The relationship between sustainability and business and marketing strategies has received an increasing scientific attention in the last few decades. This research activity has mainly focused on green advertising, greenwashing and corporate environmental strategies. Less attention has been paid to the effects of green advertising and green marketing on consumers’ brand perceptions and on consumers’ sustainable behaviour. This study aims to address this gap by examining the environmental claims and consumers’ brand perceptions and purchasing intentions in the context of the Spanish energy sector. All Spanish energy companies’ TV Advs (303) broadcasted between 2004 and 2018 were analysed and consumers brand perceptions examined (through 1000 interviews that are representative of the Spanish population). The findings show that companies follow for the most part a cost leadership strategy. Surprisingly, the main energy companies have not prioritized the creation of a strong green image and consumer’ purchase decisions still rely far more on price perceptions than on companies’ commitments towards the protection of the environment.