Abstract
<p>Social media has become a key space where consumers encounter green claims, watch others perform sustainable lifestyles, and decide whether green products are credible, desirable, and worth sharing. Yet green consumption research still tends to treat online green communication as a single influence and often stops at purchase intention. This conceptual paper develops a dual-pathway model explaining how engagement with online green content may lead to green conspicuous consumption intention and green electronic word-of-mouth intention. The firm-generated pathway argues that brand-controlled green content builds perceived green brand authenticity and green trust, especially when green claims are transparent, specific, and verifiable. The user/influencer-generated pathway argues that peer and influencer green content activates informational and normative social influence, especially when social proof is visible through likes, comments, reviews, shares, and public endorsement. Green trust and anticipated social approval then converge to shape consumers’ willingness to display green consumption, which subsequently encourages green electronic word-of-mouth. The paper makes three contributions. First, it separates firm-controlled and socially embedded green content as distinct routes to consumer response. Second, it positions conspicuous green consumption as a meaningful sustainability outcome in social media contexts. Third, it explains green electronic word-of-mouth as a digital extension of visible green identity, rather than merely a post-purchase communication behavior. Future empirical directions, theoretical implications, and practical implications for sustainable marketing are also discussed.</p>