Inclusive Advertising & Social Impact

Inclusive advertising and social impact research examines how diversity representation in advertising, sustainability messaging, and alternative consumption movements influence consumer attitudes, brand perceptions, and societal outcomes. This field investigates whether and how marketing communications can simultaneously advance social equity and commercial effectiveness, drawing on theories of persuasion, moral psychology, and consumer resistance. My research demonstrates that inclusive advertising is not merely an ethical imperative but a strategically effective approach when executed with authenticity and cultural sensitivity. Through rhetorical analysis, experimental designs, and qualitative investigations of consumer movements, I have explored the tensions between commercial marketing and social responsibility across domains including environmental advocacy, diversity representation, and alternative consumption.

Why This Matters Now

Consumer expectations for brand inclusivity and social responsibility have reached unprecedented levels. Simultaneously, backlash against perceived performative activism creates risk for brands that approach diversity without genuine commitment. Sustainability messaging must navigate complex emotional terrain including eco-anxiety, forestalgia, and consumer skepticism. Research grounding is essential for practitioners seeking to create advertising that is both genuinely inclusive and commercially effective.

Dr. Pentina's Contribution

My contribution to inclusive advertising research spans three interconnected domains. First, I co-edited a special issue of the Journal of Advertising on inclusive advertising, establishing a research agenda that has attracted significant scholarly attention with over 30 citations. This editorial contribution defined the boundaries and priorities for the field. Second, my research on sustainability messaging has examined the effectiveness of future-focused environmental appeals in public service announcements, investigating how emotions and the emerging concept of forestalgia influence consumer responses. Third, my early work on the freegan movement, published in the European Journal of Marketing with nearly 80 citations, provided one of the first academic analyses of freeganism as a form of consumer resistance, examining whether this anti-consumption practice represents genuine ideology or pragmatic consumer behavior. Additionally, my rhetorical analysis of resistance to environmentalism explored how moral narratives shape public discourse about ecological and social well-being.

Selected Publications