SUSTAINABILITY, FOOD TOPICS AND WEBLOGS: DO THEY REALLY FIT?

TARGETING AND VALUING FOOD-RELATED EWOM GENERATORS

Abstract

Without any doubt, the advent of the Internet has substantially transformed the way and rhythm of our lives. This circumstance reflects directly on our daily behaviours, which are today quite different from what they used to be only a few years ago. In this sense, the current patterns of search for information and consumption are frequently paced by the eWOM communication. In addition, environmental concerns have driven consumers to increasingly demand the so-called environmentally friendly products. Considering both issues together, literature reveals that the study of the interaction between eWOM and sustainable consumption is still scarce and needs more attention. For this reason, the present research is devoted to the identification and evaluation of a sustainable food-related eWOM. In this regard, an online survey of authors of food-related weblogs/videoblogs was conducted containing different questions about their food consumption styles. Even though the existence of a distinct group of green authors was confirmed, the following examination of centrality levels showed that the influence exerted by this group on the Web 2.0 is exactly the same as that of the other groups. Jointly, these findings provide information of great importance that has implications for businesses and professionals in marketing.