Citation:
[Editor:] Gadžo, Amra [Editor:] Klapić, Hidajet [Title:] Regenerative and Digital Economy: Southeastern Europe's Path to Sustainable Competitiveness [Series:] 9th Scientific Conference with International Participation ''Economy of Integration'' (ICEI 2025) - Conference Proceedings [URL:] http://icei.ba/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Ver-7-ICEI2025_Zbornik-radova_KONACNA-VERZIJA_slanje.pdf [Publisher:] University of Tuzla Faculty of Economics [Place:] Tuzla [Year:] 2025 [Pages:] 189-202
Abstract:
The aim of this study is to examine the potential applications of parasocial relationships and heuristics in promoting sustainability. Parasocial relationships refer to one-sided emotional bonds formed with media figures or fictional characters. Through these relationships, consumers perceive issues that their favorites consider important as more relevant and closer to themselves. Heuristics, which play a key role in behavioral economics, simplify and speed up decision-making. By connecting these two phenomena, sustainability messages can be communicated more effectively, and the encouragement of sustainable behavior can become more successful. In this study, the author reviews practices that have aimed at social change. Based on the literature review and its analysis, recommendations are formulated that may contribute to more effective communication of sustainability messages in the future through the appropriate design of communication and campaigns.
