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Future States

Read the latest and most impactful research on future states and emerging technologies for innovating research methods 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.

CMO Briefs: Understanding Biases in Panel and Census Research Using AI/ML

  • Posted: July 7, 2021

Numerous bias types can impact panel and census research. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) algorithms can perpetuate them. This is true of surveys, panels and the big data sets that are often used to calibrate each other. The following report touches on some of the biases that can occur, where they may affect panel and census research that use AI/ML and mitigation efforts to account for them. Read the article.

KaH: Understanding Biases in Panel and Census Research Using AI/ML

  • Posted: July 7, 2021

Numerous biases can impact panel and census research. While some believe that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) offer easy ways to circumvent them, the truth is, algorithms can perpetuate such biases. This is true of surveys, panels and the big data sets that are often used to calibrate each other. The following report covers the numerous biases that can occur, where they may infiltrate panel and census research that use AI/ML and mitigation efforts to account for them. Read the article.

The Study of Device & Account Sharing: The How and Why

  • Posted: June 28, 2021

In the digital age, it is difficult to measure media usage on the individual level. Users may share multiple devices, have several profiles across and even within service categories. People share usernames and passwords with others to allow them access to their ecommerce or streaming media accounts. As a result, providers of digital services and research lack a consistent, reliable and efficient way to parse out the digital world at the user level. Now, a new study by the ARF aims to provide a solution.
Read the article.

KaH: Attention and Ad Impact: New Insights from New Research

  • Posted: June 8, 2021

One of the essential goals of advertising is to get customers’ attention. However, a lot of campaigns approach this simplistically. More “attention” does not necessarily mean an ad is more effective. Attention is a much more complex phenomenon than that. While attention is a prerequisite for ad impact, the term is ambiguous, complex and attention is difficult to measure. Moreover, “attention” does not necessarily indicate a positive response, and a high level of attention is not always a sign of a positive ad impact. Read more.

MSI: Web Scraping for Consumer Insight “Nuggets”

  • Posted: May 21, 2021

One technique that offers a treasure trove of insights into consumer behavior is “web scraping.” Although worthwhile, using it to gather data requires a specific, methodological approach. Otherwise, validity is threatened. This MSI working paper addresses how researchers should go about web scraping in order to ensure design transparency, analytic reproducibility, analytic robustness, replicability and generalizability of effects.

View article.

MSI: Voice-Activated Shopping Can Boost Sales for Some Consumers & Categories

  • Posted: May 21, 2021

Do you ask Alexa from your smart speaker to purchase items for you? Research shows that voice-activated, AI-enabled devices are becoming increasingly important for online retailers. They can increase search and even purchase, especially among younger consumers and for categories of high purchase frequency or low substitutability. Rather than cannibalizing other channels, use of such devices creates positive spillover, since shopping is integrated into other, consumer routines.

Read the article.

What Do we Know About AI Driven Creative?

  • Posted: April 23, 2021

There have been significant developments in artificial intelligence, such as recent advancements in natural language processing, that make it look appealing for advertising purposes. Indeed, many professionals are considering AI-driven creative tools. Yet, a recent ARF Knowledge Center investigation reveals that this technology simply is not there yet. For now, AI’s best use seems to be optimizing creative for email blasts, digital campaigns and social media advertising.

Access the Report

The 1st Annual Organizational Benchmark Survey—The Consultancy Report

  • Posted: April 23, 2021

The Organizational Benchmark Survey investigates the changes in advertising and marketing research over the past year. This is the first of an annual series. The consultancy report covers a variety of subjects, including the names of their research departments and their structures, whether they are centralized or decentralized, their spending and KPIs, what skills researchers need and what tools they employ, and how satisfied they are with their department.

Read the article

How to Get Better Creative from Better Insights

  • Posted: April 23, 2021

We have access to more data and research than ever before. But how well are they being used? It’s apparent to many in the advertising industry that there’s a gap between the research/data and creative/strategy communities, in terms of using data and insights effectively. To investigate this divide, the ARF Creative Council conducted a quantitative and qualitative research project, which has led to the publication of a new white paper titled: How to Get Better Creative from Better Insights.

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JAR: Understanding AI Advertising from the Consumer Perspective

  • Posted: March 30, 2021

One might expect consumers to respond differently to ads created using artificial intelligence. But what’s behind these differences? Using multiple scales, a new study examines various factors that drive people’s reactions. Its findings can inform smart AI-ad creation and strategies.

Read the JAR article.