Consumer Attitudes

Find the latest and most impactful research on consumer attitudes and behavior, including drivers and trends, 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.
Privacy Rules, Trust Gained: How Regulations Change Consumer Data Sharing

Privacy Rules, Trust Gained: How Regulations Change Consumer Data Sharing

  • ARF
  • ARF

Research in this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper shows that privacy regulations can increase consumer willingness to share data. Using behavioral data from a popular U.S. shopping app and complementary evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, the research finds that regulations in California and Virginia boosted both the volume and diversity of data sharing—especially among consumers who were initially more reluctant.

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Balancing Recall and Resistance: Rethinking YouTube Ad Strategies

Balancing Recall and Resistance: Rethinking YouTube Ad Strategies

  • ARF
  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Ever wonder about how consumers really respond to YouTube’s main ad formats—skippable ads, non-skippable ads and brand placements? This recent Journal of Advertising Research (JAR) study investigates. The findings show that while non-skippable ads boost brand recall, they also feel more intrusive. By contrast, brand placements and skippable ads create more positive brand attitudes. What’s more, when combined with placements, skippable ads can deliver recall levels on par with non-skippable formats.

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Decoding CTAs: How Messaging and Emojis Shape Consumer Compliance

Decoding CTAs: How Messaging and Emojis Shape Consumer Compliance

  • ARF
  • JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

How do consumers respond to different calls-to-action (CTAs) in brand content? Can emojis amplify or diminish compliance? The findings in this Journal of Advertising Research study reveal that consumer-focused CTAs boost engagement more effectively than firm-focused ones, while heart emojis can counteract negative reactions and down-pointing emojis may backfire.

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Do Ads Really Wear Out? Evidence and Implications for Media

Do Ads Really Wear Out? Evidence and Implications for Media

  • ARF
  • ARF

Repeated ad exposure is a double-edged sword: it can help messages stick (wearin) or risk audience fatigue (wearout). This ARF Knowledge at Hand report reviews the latest evidence and finds that while true creative wearout is less common than once assumed, it can occur under specific conditions such as heavy short-term frequency or when there is poor creative quality. For advertisers, the key is knowing when repetition builds impact and when it backfires.

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Beyond the Spike: Predicting Retail Crises Through Stakeholder Response Patterns

Beyond the Spike: Predicting Retail Crises Through Stakeholder Response Patterns

  • ARF

In a media landscape driven by real-time reactions and online amplification, understanding the difference between routine negativity and true brand crises is more critical than ever. This study uncovers empirically grounded stakeholder response patterns across media, social buzz and consumer sentiment that can help retailers distinguish high-risk incidents early—and react with data-driven confidence.

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Cracking the Code of Content Discovery: What Keeps Viewers Watching?

Cracking the Code of Content Discovery: What Keeps Viewers Watching?

  • ARF
  • Knowledge at Hand | CMO Brief

The streaming landscape has never been more abundant—or more overwhelming. With over 1.7 million shows and movies across global platforms and 1,600+ FAST channels, audiences are inundated with choice. This ARF Knowledge at Hand report explores how fragmentation, option fatigue and algorithmic shortcomings affect content discovery and what media organizations are doing to reduce discovery friction and retain (even grow) engagement.

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