Discursive constructions of critical consumer identity on social media: between authentic advocacy and greenwashing accusations

Abstract

This study examines how social media users discursively construct “critical” or “conscious” consumer identities within sustainability fashion discourse on TikTok, and explores the implications for marketing communication, particularly the risk of being perceived as engaging in greenwashing or purpose-washing. Methodology: Drawing on Fairclough's Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and multimodal analytical frameworks, this study analyzes thirty TikTok videos across three genres: anti-haul, conscious haul/thrift haul, and ethical fashion advocacy. Data were collected from content published between January 2025 and April 2026, with analysis conducted at three interconnected levels: textual (micro), discursive practice (meso), and sociocultural practice (macro). The corpus includes both English and Indonesian language content, reflecting the study's commitment to capturing local contexts. The analysis reveals four identity typologies: (1) The Moral Bargainer, who simultaneously emphasizes economic and ethical value through thrift consumption; (2) The System Critic, who structurally challenges fast fashion and overconsumption as manifestations of exploitative capitalism; (3) The Reluctant Consumer, who expresses guilt and self-critique while still participating in consumption practices; and (4) The Curator-Advocate, who focuses on education, provides alternatives, and builds communities around ethical consumption. Each typology employs distinct discursive strategies, including lexical choices, multimodal framing, and intertextual references. The study further identifies four boundary markers that distinguish authentic advocacy from accusations of greenwashing, as constructed by audiences: material evidence, consistency, self-critique, and stakeholder orientation. This research bridges critical discourse studies and marketing communication by demonstrating how brands and creators navigate the tension between supporting conscious consumption and avoiding accusations of co-optation. It offers a discursive framework for ethical brand activism in the digital age, highlighting that accusations of greenwashing are themselves discursive achievements constructed by consumers through multimodal analysis of communications.