Strategizing green marketing in times of uncertainty: does it pay off?

Purpose – This research investigates the impact of green marketing strategy (GMS) and firms’ decision to invest in or divest from green marketing activities during a crisis on business performance. Design/methodology/approach – The study collected survey data from 245 Greek firms during the 2015 Eurozone crisis to investigate the impact of GMS and green marketing investments on firm resilience during crisis. Time-lagged, objective performance data for a subset of these firms helped examine the impact of GMS on post-crisis financial performance. Findings – Pursuing a GMS builds resilience, especially for companies that decided not to reduce resources allocated to green marketing activities during a recession. Beyond resilience, firms investing in GMS during the crisis experienced improved financial performance in the long run. Finally, this research proposes a typology of GMS responses during a crisis. Research limitations/implications – This study does not specify which types of green marketing activities lead to more investment or divestment during a crisis. Practical implications – The study offers insights for allocating resources to green marketing during recessions. Supporting GMSs during unpredictable times is important to successfully navigate performance both during and after a crisis. Six crisis response profiles are offered: (green- non-believers, dis-investors, reluctants and cautious-, opportunistic-, strategic- green investors). Social implications – The study proposes a balanced approach to environmental sustainability, marketing strategy, and firm performance during a crisis. Originality/value – The study argues that GMSs enables firms to survive a crisis and recover from financial shocks.