This abstract summarizes an early-stage research proposal examining the benefits of storytelling in marketing green brands. Many research studies have been published in the last decade observing the growth and popularity of sustainable products (e.g., Bhardwaj et al., 2020; de Souza Correa et al., 2022; Haider, Shannon, & Poschis, 2022; Lunde, 2018; Rajogopal, Mahajan, & Priya, 2021; Skackuskiene & Vilkaite-Vaitone, 2022; among many others). Only some of these products offered immediate economic benefits to consumers when introduced. Consumers were skeptical of the sustainability of the products (e.g., Matthes & Wonneberger, 2014), consumers felt the prices were higher than unsustainable products (e.g., Juan, Hsu, & Xie, 2017), and consumers felt that the company was greenwashing (e.g., Cho & Taylor, 2020). However, the story of these businesses imagining a green future was the main driving force in attracting and convincing consumers to switch regardless of the cost and risk involved in the decision (e.g., Moshood et al., 2022). Getting exposed to these exciting stories, consumers want to join and be part of them by purchasing green products. For example, when sustainable Toyota Prius and Tesla cars were first introduced, there were more economical and best-performing cars in the crowded US market (i.e., Toyota.com, 2023; Tesla.com, 2023). However, unlike conventional combustion engine cars, they had a story to tell. Then, and today, the companies sell the imaginary of a green and sustainable future for humankind. It is the same with the sustainable apparel brand, Patagonia, which has gained popularity throughout the years (Patagonia.com, 2023). Their products are expensive compared to their unsustainable competitors. However, consumers are willing to pay the price to be a part of the story that the brand narrates, promising a more sustainable future.

Financial well-being is a critical problem in consumer-finance research (Shim et al., 2009). Many consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about their financial well-being (O'Neill et al., 2005). Although there are many financial policies associated with consumers (Kozup & Hogarth, 2008), consumers still have difficulty with financial well-being (Short, 2005). This research is a vital topic to enable financial-policy researchers to understand consumers' financial well-being. For this proposed study, it is necessary to choose a group of consumers who understand financial well-being. While many groups would fit this scope, we chose international students. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce (2016), the number of international students pursuing U.S. college degrees has grown each year for the past ten years. This increase in the number of international students has an economic effect. According to the NAFSA report (2014), international students contributed $26.8 billion to the U.S. economy. International students also supported over 340,000 U.S. jobs. However, the actual condition of these international students is not well known. Some earlier studies have pointed to difficulties in studying and living because of differences in culture and language (Wang, 2004). However, research on financial problems due to cultural differences among international students is scarce. The study of these financial aspects of international students is an important economic, educational, and policy issue. However, many studies are biased toward quantitative research questionnaires for international students, which limits the attempt to interpret the data in the conventional knowledge framework (Pyvis, & Chapman, 2005). There is a lack of qualitative research to uncover the actual financial reality from the insiders' perspectives. Therefore, this qualitative research understands the diverse financial experiences and difficulties of international students through grounded theory, which a qualitative research method. This qualitative research, (1) seeks to understand what elements should be necessary for the financial well-being of international students, which will (2) allow international students to consider consumer financial support policies that will help them, and (3) help to understand the relationship between financial culture and financial well-being in the era of globalization.