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.

Best Practices in Media and Market Research Studies

  • Dr. Horst Stipp, EVP, Research & Innovation, the ARF
  • KNOWLEDGE AT HAND; CMO BRIEF

Surveys are a necessary tool for exploring consumer behavior, attitudes and intentions. They provide valuable data to help make informed business decisions. However, quality matters and ignoring best practices impacts the validity and reliability of findings, which might make the data unusable.

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  • Article

MSI: Regulating Privacy Online -- An Economic Evaluation of the GDPR

Analyzes data from a diverse set of 1,084 online firms to understand the implications of the GDPR for the online economy. Early in adoption, there are small reductions in pageviews and revenue from users who click on a display ad or a marketing email, but economic consequences may increase with greater enforcement and compliance. Read the Working Paper.

  • Article

JAR: Why Do Some Ads Get Shared More than Others?

Why do some ads get shared more than others on social media? This study used facial coding algorithms to quantify the facial expressions of thousands of individuals in response to video ads. The findings help advertisers predict how different emotions influence sharing, and provide a deeper understanding of the complexities between emotion and transmission. Read the JAR article.

What Do we Know About AI Driven Creative?

  • THE ARF

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.

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The 1st Annual Organizational Benchmark Survey—The Consultancy Report

  • THE ARF

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.

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  • Article

JAR: Can Advertisers Overcome Consumer Qualms with Virtual Reality?

For companies that advertise using virtual self-guided panoramic tours, there hasn’t been much insight into how this form of virtual reality influences consumer behavior. This study shows that such tours can attract customers, increase authenticity and decrease perceptions that they are being manipulated. Read the JAR article.

Getting Better Creative from Data and Insights

  • CREATIVE COUNCIL WHITE PAPER

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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Oracle Data Cloud Tackles Audience Quality

  • CMO BRIEF

$48 billion was spent on digital display advertising in the US in 2018. That’s up 5 percent from just a few years ago. Unfortunately, most advertisers are unaware of the need to focus on audience quality. Without doing so, consumers can be overwhelmed with messages or encounter irrelevant ones. They become annoyed or frustrated, resulting in missed opportunities and wasted resources.

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What’s the Perfect Synergy Between Employees and Technology?

  • CMO BRIEF

Technology is omnipresent in today’s world. Yet, it’s become more difficult to determine what is the best way to utilize it. Businesses want to provide topnotch customer experiences, while maintaining operational efficiency. Customers, meanwhile, require a convenient, responsive, personal experience. So how can companies strike a balance and create the ideal symmetry between employees and technology? The ARF’s Knowledge Center was recently challenged with this question. Here are its findings.

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  • Article

JAR: Artificial Intelligence in Advertising

This early assessment (2015)breaks down AI into its various components, or building blocks, to help advertisers deepen their understanding of the consumers and the consumer journey. Read the JAR article.