Consumer Attitudes

• 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.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

If You Stream It, They Will Come: Marketing Through Streaming Platforms

• MSI

Livestreaming platforms and social shopping in general have grown into marketing channels that can be very lucrative for several different categories. However, livestreaming stands apart from “normal” social media in the fact that influencers are less reliant on corporate sponsors, as they have their own customer base that they rely on. So, how can marketers be successful within these channels? This Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper illustrates what forces are at play with livestreaming and how to balance them for the benefit of all parties.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Opening Stores Can be a Part of a Successful Omnichannel Strategy

• MSI

Although ecommerce has been touted by some as the way of the future, in fact this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper finds that opening brick-and-mortar stores can in fact be a fruitful part of an overarching omnichannel strategy. If done right, such a move can attract new customers while retaining the engagement of existing ones. Opening locations can increase revenue and customer value by providing customers the in-person, hands-on experience they crave, but these benefits vary across product categories. This paper can help retailers improve their in-store assortments, thereby achieving greater prosperity and success.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

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.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

The Age of Acquisition Effect Has a Small Impact on Brand Recognition

• JOURNAL OF ADVERTISING RESEARCH

Things learned early in life are recognized faster and more accurately, according to the age-of-acquisition effect, a phenomenon studied widely in psychology research. A new study recently published in the Journal of Advertising Research explores how this effect works in the context of brand names. It finds that brand exposure frequency and usage recency have a much greater effect on recognition than the age of acquisition itself.

• Targets & Segments
• Article

Utilizing FOMO to Increase Engagement with Your Brand

• MSI

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is a phrase that social media has given rise to. Those who follow others on such platforms can be made anxious about their own life choices and use of free time when following friends and their activities online. If brands can properly understand this phenomenon, however, they can find ways to engage with customers, including through the content and events consumers most care about. Researchers in this Marketing Science Institute (MSI) working paper find that those who are most attracted to a brand are the ones who become the most engaged through such a strategy.

• Audience & Media Measurement
• Article

The 6th Annual Privacy Study

One of the ARF’s most popular reports for membership and the press, the 6^th Annual Privacy Study has now been released. The study surveyed 1,329 American consumers in the spring of 2023 on a Qualtrics online sample and platform. The report contains perennial questions regarding device usage, trust in institutions and how well privacy terms are understood. Last and this year’s versions also investigated what changes in information the public is willing to share and under what circumstances they are willing to share it. A new aspect to this year’s study is that it contains longitudinal findings across all six years.

• Research & Data Quality
• Article

Here Are Some Unintended Consequences of Privacy Regulations

• MSI

The intention behind recent privacy regulations is to protect consumers from unauthorized use of their data. However, this Marketing Research Institute (MSI) working paper finds unintended consequences that are not good for the consumer or the marketplace. Researchers found such regulations reduce satisfaction with search results and increase search costs. The personalization in products and services is thus degraded, as many smaller and midsize firms are no longer able to provide the level of efficiency and personalization they once could. Larger firms, however, benefit from increased search activity which leads to increased purchase activity. As a result, such regulation leads to unintended market concentration.