Consumer Attitudes

• Article

How to Balance Consumer Response to “Skimpflation”

Rising costs are an important issue for businesses. Many wonder how they should respond and how customers will react if they say, reduce product quality. Such “skimpflation” can be harder for consumers to detect. However, this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper finds that those who do realize it consider the practice deceptive and unfair. Consumers, it seems, prefer reduced product size (shrinkflation) or increased prices to skimpflation, with price increases the most popular/least unpopular of these options.

• Creative & Branded Content
• Article

How Implied Explosions Boost Perfume Ads’ Appeal

This study investigates how the concept of “implied explosion” in advertisements can significantly enhance consumers' perception of a perfume's intensity and persistence, leading to higher purchase intentions. Discover how both visual and textual cues can be leveraged to create a more impactful consumer experience.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Having In-Depth Research on Consumers’ Values Yields Tremendous Benefits

• ARF Knowledge at Hand, CMO Brief

In decades past, demographic characteristics were considered the strongest predictors of consumers’ values, attitudes and purchasing behavior. Over time, however, they have grown to become weak predictors and correlates. In this Knowledge at Hand report, Dr. Horst Stipp, EVP at the ARF, summarizes the latest and most impactful research to date on consumer values and how researching them carefully can help shape effective business strategies and impactful ad messages.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

How Patients React to AI-Assisted Communications

• MSI

Generative AI is all the rage, and consumers are interested in interacting with such programs to receive personalized services and products. What is their outlook when it comes to doing so in the healthcare field? Here, the view is not as sunny. In fact, a new working paper put out by the Marketing Science Institute (MSI), at the ARF, found that physicians who use AI to communicate with patients were perceived as less warm and even less competent.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

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.

• Analytics & Data Science
• Article

How to Use Machine Learning to Speed Up the Product Design Process

• MSI

Aesthetic design significantly affects consumer evaluation of products. Nowhere perhaps is this truer than for the automotive category. However, in this industry, development cycles can be lengthy. As a result, mid-generation “facelifts” periodically occur to maintain appeal. However, this process can be expensive. Recent breakthroughs in machine learning may help speed up the process in an efficient and scalable manner. Not only is this option cost-effective, but it is customizable. For those who wish to infuse nature-inspired elements into an aesthetic design, deep machine learning offers many advantages.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Drug Injury Advertising Can Lead to Adverse Outcomes for Patients

• MSI

Although direct to consumer (DTC) pharmaceutical ads are highly regulated to avoid over-prescribing and misleading claims, legal commercials about consumers rights soliciting drug injury lawsuits face far fewer regulations. The researcher who wrote this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper also found that exposure to drug injury lawsuit ads can result in patients filling fewer prescriptions and experiencing more adverse health outcomes.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

A Guide to Diverse & Inclusive Terminology, Including Definitions and Best Practices

• Cultural Effectiveness Council

How can we more effectively understand and communicate with the diverse audiences of 21st century America? The ARF Cultural Effectiveness Council has created a guide to help accomplish this. It contains the latest information about diversity and inclusive terminology—an ever-evolving subject—specific definitions and best practices. This guide helps researchers and media and marketing professionals to recognize and understand preferred terms that are used to identify members of these audiences, to show proper respect and connect with them more effectively.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

In Pro-Environmental Social Appeals, Just One Tip Drives Sustainable Behaviors

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Brands, nonprofits and social media influencers that are environmentally conscious often post tips to promote sustainable behaviors. Can one tip work as well, or even better than several tips? It depends on the audience’s level of concern about the environment, and the perceived authenticity of the source, new research finds.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Do Photos or Illustrations Drive Prosocial Behaviors in PSAs?

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

An image that tells a powerful story is vital for the success of a public service ad. Is a photograph or illustration better at motivating prosocial actions? The answer lies in whether the visual medium is paired with concrete or abstract messaging, and how intimately the audience can relate to the ad, new research shows.