Exploring consumer education and empowerment as a pathway to brand reputation and brand engagement in sustainable digital marketing

This study investigates how sustainable digital marketing (SDM) practices can enhance brand reputation and engagement, particularly through the mediating roles of consumer education and empowerment. Drawing on social exchange theory (SET), the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), and the triple bottom line (TBL) framework, the study examines how green and ethical offerings, transparency, and social/environmental initiatives influence consumer perceptions. Using a structural equation modelling approach with data from 1158 respondents across diverse markets, the findings reveal that while SDM initiatives enhance brand reputation, their direct effect on engagement is limited. Instead, consumer education and empowerment significantly mediate this relationship, positioning them as critical enablers in converting sustainable brand actions into meaningful consumer responses. These mediators emerged as central mechanisms, suggesting that SDM success depends less on message content than on consumer understanding and agency. The study offers theoretical insights and practical guidance for enhancing SDM effectiveness in increasingly sceptical consumer environments.