Building Trust in Green Brands: A Dual-Path Model of Consumer Perception and Social Media Communication

Abstract

The trust in green brands is constructed with a dual-path technique, which this study aims to showcase through consumer perception and social media communication. Trust formation is examined through corporate environmental actions and key opinion leader (KOL) communications using questionnaires and social media data to employ a mixed-methods approach. From 1,247 respondents and 45,000 social media posts, it is revealed that both consumer perception and social media communication paths substantially shape green brand trust, with synergistic effects from environmental initiatives and KOL endorsements. Structural equation modelling shows consumer perception to mediate the trust and corporate actions relationship (β = 0.42, p < 0.001) while KOL communication quality acts as a moderator (β = 0.38, p < 0.001). The results suggest that substantive environmental actions endorsed by credible KOLs who advocate for the brand lead to enhanced trust-building effects beyond individual influences. Trust is advanced as a multi-dimensional construct shaped by cognitive and social influence mechanisms in green marketing theory. Strategically allied with expert KOLs, organisations are advised to make authentic environmental commitments to maximise trust formation, as these actions foster substantial trust formation. In digital contexts, the dual-path model aids in understanding the complexities of contemporary green brand trust dynamics.