The Impact of Luxury Product Features Visibility on Sustainable Consumption
(A2026-132784)

AUTHORS

MARTINA DI CIOCCIO, LUISS Guido Carli University; Matteo De Angelis, Luiss University; Cesare Amatulli, University of Bari; Rumen Ivaylov Pozharliev, Assistant Professor/LUISS Guido Carli University; Ernesto Cardamone, San Raffaele Rome University

ABSTRACT

This research explores how the aesthetic framing of luxury products (specifically, invisible vs. visible characteristics) affects sustainable consumption, measured through the length of product usage (LPU). Across four experiments and a large-scale field study on social media content, we demonstrate that emphasizing invisible features (e.g., craftsmanship and heritage) increases LPU compared to visible features (e.g., beauty and recognizability), through the mediating role of perceived authenticity. The effect is especially pronounced for consumers with lower conspicuous consumption orientation. These findings have important implications for sustainable marketing and luxury branding strategies: they suggest that luxury brands can actively shape more responsible consumption behaviours by leveraging communication choices that evoke heritage and craftsmanship rather than focusing solely on visual appeal. In doing so, brands can align sustainability goals with core luxury values.