All for One and One for all: How Quickly-Formed Consumer Groups Can Encourage Prosocial Behaviour

This paper explores alternative means by which brands can encourage consumers to engage in socially and environmentally positive behavior. Rather than altruism appeals, we suggest that brand owners use social identity effects among consumers. A controlled field experiment shows that the degree of group salience and the nature of group goal positively influence collaborative prosocial behaviors, both between the consumer and the brand, and between the consumer and other beneficiaries of the behavior. These results shed light on group influences on consumer behavior, and help practitioners develop more effective strategies to collaborate with the consumer in achieving sustainability aims.