Advertising Creative

Find the latest and most impactful research on advertising creative here. All the research listed comes from the ARF or one of its subsidiaries: The Journal of Advertising Research (JAR), the Marketing Science Institute (MSI) or the Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM). Feel free to bookmark this page, as it will be updated periodically.

Retail Media Networks, Generative AI Top JAR’s Industry-Informed Research Priorities

Retail Media Networks, Generative AI Top JAR’s Industry-Informed Research Priorities

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Retail media networks, generative AI across creative, market research and trust, ad effectiveness and attention: These are among the topics highlighted on the Journal of Advertising Research’s list of 2024 research priorities. The list is a result of one-on-one interviews with advertising professionals by Editor-in-Chief Colin Campbell, who asked: "What are your biggest needs and challenges?"

Member Only Access
Health, Charity and Green Messaging Highlighted in JAR Prosocial-Themed Issue

Health, Charity and Green Messaging Highlighted in JAR Prosocial-Themed Issue

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

A JAR 2022 call for papers on prosocial advertising generated a deluge of submissions aimed at helping advertisers use more effective means of communicating in ways that benefit society. The result is the newly published March issue focused on messaging strategies that help consumers make informed decisions on health, the environment and charity.

Member Only Access
Influencer Partners a Must for Branded ASMR Content

Influencer Partners a Must for Branded ASMR Content

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

How can brand managers maximize their engagement with tingle-inducing ASMR videos? A new study, recently published in the Journal of Advertising Research, offers evidence that brands risk being perceived as “inauthentic intruders” when advertising within ASMR communities. They should instead consider collaborating with ASMR influencers, especially those who are highly visible and/or terrific at building emotional connections with viewers.

Member Only Access
Established Activist Brands Have a Competitive Edge

Established Activist Brands Have a Competitive Edge

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Does brand activism—taking a stand on a sociopolitical issue—influence attitudes and purchase intentions, and if so, how? These questions are addressed in new research that identifies a credibility gap between brands that have an established reputation as activists, such as Nike and Ben & Jerry’s, and those that do not. With few exceptions, established activist brands have a lot more to gain than their emergent activist peers when taking a stand.

Member Only Access
Does Having Multicultural Marketing Mean Your Brand is Inclusive?

Does Having Multicultural Marketing Mean Your Brand is Inclusive?

  • MSI

Multicultural marketing is popular today. Its aim is to increase inclusion through consumption. But does propagating such marketing make a brand inclusive? An inclusive brand is one that creates, communicates and delivers offerings that serve underrepresented communities, say researchers in this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper. In this way, such brands enhance lives through increased equality, acceptance, respect, belonging and empowerment.

Member Only Access
Young People Respond Favorably to ASMR Ads on YouTube

Young People Respond Favorably to ASMR Ads on YouTube

  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

For many college-age consumers, the tingles and relaxing sensations that come from experiencing autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) can be weird and fun, but off-putting when, say, an endorser is too chatty and loud in the video. New research uses these insights to guide marketers and suggest that ASMR ads, typically aired on YouTube and other, non-traditional channels, are more effective at gaining attention than on traditional media.

Member Only Access
How Best to Advertise During a Recession

How Best to Advertise During a Recession

  • ARF Knowledge at Hand, CMO Brief

Even though the U.S. economy has some bright spots, economists warn a recession is still possible due to stubborn inflation. Advertisers want to be prepared as a result. While there is no failsafe advertising playbook to follow, as individual brands and businesses have nuanced needs and branding, there are some best practices and guidelines, which the following ARF Knowledge at Hand report gleans from some of the best research on the topic. The report covers the impact of “going dark,” the often-overlooked opportunities a recession can bring, how to maximize media spend effectiveness and how to frame appeals that are most attractive to customers during tough economic times.

Member Only Access
 Next »