Knowledge at Hand

KaH: The 2019 Organizational Benchmark Survey, The Advertiser Report

• Posted: March 31, 2020

Advertising and market research have seen tremendous changes in the last couple of years. As a result, ARF members have been inquiring about different aspects of these changes, from what to call their departments to what tools and techniques are considered best practices. For instance, should it be called a “research department,” “data science” or “customer experience” department? Is it better to have a centralized or decentralized structure? Do such departments provide positive ROI, according to stakeholders? And should they use R, Python, SPSS or SAS?  Read more.

KaH: Should You Cut Your Advertising Budget in a Recession?

• Posted: March 27, 2020

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc on the American and world economy. Forecasters are predicting a global recession. The stock market has whipsawed, adding to the economic jitters many are experiencing. In such trying times, brands suffer from declining sales revenue and cash shortages. Often, they consider slashing their advertising budgets as a result. But is such a move wise?

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KaH: The Data Gap: Getting Better Creative from Insights

• Posted: December 13, 2019

Collaboration between creative/strategy and research/data communities is crucial in advertising. Yet, it is difficult to bridge the gap between these two very different groups. The ARF Creative Council recently conducted a quantitative and qualitative research project to learn more about the apparent divide. Specifically, they wanted to know how each group perceives research and data and their value in the creative process. The results?  Read more.

KAH: 2nd Annual ARF Privacy Study

• Posted: October 18, 2019

Several data breaches grabbed headlines in 2019. This year has been one of the worst for such breaches, according to Risk Based Security—a cyber security analysis firm. Over 3,000 breaches were reported through the end of June, exposing 4.1 billion records. Even though the vast majority of such breaches had a low to moderate severity score, anxiety-inducing headlines may have affected Americans view on privacy. Read More.

KaH: Brand Safety

• Posted: October 14, 2019

Advertising has always been part of the cultural zeitgeist. But today, brands must always be aware of social issues. This is due to the breakneck speed at which social media and online platforms move. The cost of ignorance can be swift and severe. Negative brand adjacency doesn’t just damage a brand’s reputation. It can have a direct impact on its bottom line as well.  Read More.

Marketing to Hispanics

• Posted: February 1, 2019

Marketers have become increasingly aware of how important it is to understand the characteristics and dynamics of the Hispanic market – the fastest growing segment of the U.S. population. But what are the Hispanic segment’s media behavior and ad receptivity? Read more.

The OTT Revolution

• Posted: December 14, 2018

The accelerating pace of digital disruption is transforming the TV industry, giving consumers more choices and ways to view programming than ever before. What’s the impact on the industry? What new tools does OTT offer marketers?  Read more.

KaH: Native Advertising — The What, Why and How

• Posted: November 6, 2018

Today, platforms such as PC’s and smartphones make it possible to reach consumers with print, audio, and video messages in new ways. So, how do we define the ad forms usually referred to as “native,” and what are the best practices? This Knowledge at Hand on native advertising explores answers to these questions and offers a recommendation for marketers going forward.
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Get the Intel on Artificial Intelligence

• Posted: September 12, 2018

Some say Artificial Intelligence is a broad field that includes everything from simple if-then rules for playing Checkers to complex ensembles of deep neural networks for piloting autonomous vehicles. In marketing, AI is a term that is applied to several very different techniques and functions. However, the bigger questions are: how do you best implement AI and what are the commercial solutions?  Read More.

KaH: Can Context Make Advertising More Effective?

• Posted: June 26, 2018

Does advertising context affect consumers’ perceptions and response to the advertising? If so, how does context affect ad performance? Ignoring context, whether it’s a message adjacent to an ad, the media platform/brand, the device, or when the ad is delivered, can be risky. In fact, context is likely to impact ad performance – positively or negatively – as six decades of research show. Read More.