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The Impact of Rainbow-Washing on Consumers’ Emotional Responses
Leeuwen, Caitlin van (2025) The Impact of Rainbow-Washing on Consumers’ Emotional Responses.
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| Abstract: | Nowadays, LGBTQ+ representation in advertisements is common. However, these advertisements are not always perceived as sincere. Some people believe that LGBTQ+ advertising is mostly done for external reasons such as gaining profits. The public support shown for LGBTQ+ communities shown by businesses while privately acting and engaging in contradictory practices is called rainbow-washing. This research focuses on the impact of perceiving rainbow-washing on consumers’ emotional responses. In order to examine this, a survey was conducted among 134 participants, in which respondents had to watch an advertisement that features LGBTQ+ representation and select the main emotion they felt. The Geneva Emotional Wheel was used to measure emotions. It was found that perceiving rainbow-washing leads to lower emotional valence. Individuals who perceived rainbow-washing were more prone to experience feelings of boredom and disgust compared to respondents who did not perceive rainbow-washing. Those consumers perceived consistently positive reactions, including hope and happiness. Moreover, it has been found that LGBTQ+ identity alone does not significantly predict emotional valence, which suggests that perception is the key driver of emotional responses in this context. This study expands research in consumer behaviour and ethical marketing. For brands, it means that they should prioritise genuine inclusion to avoid negative consumer reactions and use transparent marketing strategies to protect their reputation. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | International Business Administration BSc (50952) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106934 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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